The impact of smoking on disease activity, disability, and radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis: is cigarette protective?

The ojective of this study is to assess the effect of tobacco smoking on disease activity, functional ability, and joint damage in a cohort of patients with early onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA). 129 EORA patients attending the Rheumatology Unit of the School of Medicine of the "Universidad Nacional de Colombia" and the "Clínica de Artritis y Rehabilitación" in Bogota, Colombia, were enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study with 3-year follow-up. Clinical, biological, immunogenetics, and radiographic data were analyzed. Active disease was defined as DAS28 > 2.6. Smoking status was assessed by self-report as "never smokers" and "ever smokers". Patient groups with different smoking status were compared for RA measures. Status as "never smokers" and "ever smokers" was reported by 81.3 and 18.7%. Ever smokers had less risk of disability (HAQ-DI ≥ 0.5) at 36 month (Ever smokers vs. Never smokers OR for HAQ ≥ 0.5 0.25, 95% CI 0.06-0.97, p = 0.04). When former smokers were excluded in analysis, we found that current smoking was also associated with less disability and less risk of active disease. The percentage of erosive disease, radiographic progression, and SvdH score were similar in all smoking categories. In Colombian patients with EORA, smoking was associated with less disease activity and disability. Radiographic joint damage progressed at an equivalent rate in smokers and non-smokers. These data suggest a more benign, or at least not deleterious clinical course in smokers with RA.

The Role of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D as a Predictor of Clinical and Radiological Outcomes in Early Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to compare the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in patients with early-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) versus a healthy control group and to assess the association of 25(OH)D deficiency and the BsmI polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor gene with clinical, radiological, and laboratory parameters. METHODS: Early-onset RA Colombian patients were enrolled in a 3-year follow-up study. Vitamin D deficiency was diagnosed for 25(OH)D levels of less than 20 ng/mL. Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were used to assess data. RESULTS: Seventy patients and 70 matched healthy subjects were included. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D was lower in the EORA group (27.13 [SD, 13.4] ng/mL vs. 33.74 [SD, 16.7] ng/mL; P = 0.01); 31.4% of EORA patients were vitamin D deficient. Remission was higher in subjects without 25(OH)D deficiency (22.7% vs. 47.9%; P = 0.04). Patients with 25(OH)D deficiency at baseline had higher Health Assessment Questionnaire and Physician Global Disease Activity Assessment scores, fatigue levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and morning stiffness after 3 years. At disease onset, only a relationship between 25(OH)D deficiency with fatigue and morning stiffness was found. Neither radiographic progression nor Sharp van der-Heidje score was associated to hypovitaminosis D after 36-month follow-up. The bb genotype was less frequent in patients with vitamin D deficiency (0% vs. 16.6%; P = 0.04). Patients with BB-Bb genotype had lower 25(OH)D and a propensity to more severe disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provide further support for a role of vitamin D as a clinical biomarker for RA. Baseline 25(OH)D could have potential as a predictor of disease severity in EORA.

Osteomalacia inducida por tumor / Tumor-induced osteomalacia

La osteomalacia inducida por tumor es un síndrome paraneoplásico secundario en la mayoría de los casos a tumores de origen mesenquimal. Se caracteriza por pérdida aumentada de fosfato a nivel urinario por el efecto inhibidor que ejerce el factor de crecimiento fibroblástico 23 sobre el transporte de fósforo en el túbulo renal proximal. Debe sospecharse en un paciente con debilidad y dolor osteomuscular generalizado que se presente con hipofosfatemia, normocalcemia, fosfatasa alcalina elevada y niveles de 25 hidroxivitamina D y PTH normales. El tratamiento definitivo de la enfermedad es la resección quirúrgica del tumor. Cuando se desconozca la neoplasia primaria o no sea posible el tratamiento quirúrgico debe iniciarse reposición de fósforo y calcitriol. En este artículo se presenta el primer caso de una paciente con osteomalacia inducida por tumor asociada a un carcinoma lobulillar infiltrante de seno.

The tumor-induced osteomalacia is a paraneoplastic syndrome secondary in most cases to tumors of mesenchymal origin. It is characterized by increased lost of urinary phosphate by the inhibitory effect exerted by the fibroblast growth factor 23 on phosphorus transport in the proximal renal tubule. Should be suspected in a patient with weakness and generalized muscle in addition to hypophosphatemia, normocalcemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase and normal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and PTH. The definitive treatment of the disease is surgical resection of the tumor. When the primary tumor is unknown or is not possible the surgical treatment should be initiated replacement of phosphorus and calcitriol. This paper presents the first case of a patient with tumor-induced osteomalacia associated with lobular breast cancer.