Insight into the Epidemiology of the Adult-onset Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases in Egypt: A Descriptive Study of 8690 Patients.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Although systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) seem to be ubiquitous, Africa and the Middle East seem to be a remarkable exception with scarcity of data compared with the developed countries. Furthermore, most of the studies addressed a particular disease. This work aimed to shed light on the relative frequency and epidemiology of the different adult-onset SARDs in Egypt. METHODS: This is a retrospective hospital-based study including six university hospitals providing free health care services: Cairo, Alexandria, Tanta, Ismailia, Beni-Suef and Assiut University Hospitals. All available files for patients attending the outpatient clinics or admitted to the inpatient departments between January 2000 and December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Data about the patient's diagnosis, gender, age at disease onset, year of disease onset and residence were collected. RESULTS: The study included 8690 patients. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Behçet's disease (BD) and spondyloarthropathies (SPA) represented the main SARDs in Egypt. They mainly affect young patients below the age of 40 years. RA and SLE mainly affect females; males are mainly affected by axial SPA and BD. There is an increasing incidence of SARDs during the study period. CONCLUSION: The study revealed the high burden of SARDs in Egypt, helping better allocation of economic resources for the management of diseases of the highest prevalence and those affecting the young reproductive age groups. Increased public and medical staff awareness about SARDs is recommended to help early referral of patients to rheumatologists and, hence, better estimation of their epidemiology.

Behçet's disease phenotypes and clinical outcomes: A cohort study in egyptian patients.

INTRODUCTION: Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic inflammatory disease with various presentations. The data on the course of BD in Egyptian patients are limited. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to describe the evolution and association of the different phenotypes of BD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This chronological cohort study included adult Egyptian patients suffering from BD. Demographic data and the chronological order of the disease's manifestations were collected. RESULTS: The study included 233 patients. Their mean age at the onset of the disease was 26.3±6.9 years. The mean duration from onset of the disease to meeting the criteria was 11.2±30.3 months. The mean duration of the disease was 96.8±72.2 months. On onset of the disease, the most common phenotypes were mucocutaneous (84.5%), musculoskeletal (15.9%), ocular (14.6%) and peripheral venous disease (PVD) (7.3%); on the other hand, pulmonary, peripheral arterial and great vessel phenotypes evolved several years after onset of the disease. The mean time from meeting the criteria to the evolution of a new phenotype was 53.8±58.7 months. Associations between the different phenotypes were observed: PVD and superficial thrombophlebitis, peripheral arterial disease and PVD; another association was also observed between aortic involvement and cerebrovascular disease. CONCLUSION: BD could continue to evolve several years after onset of the disease, making the previous belief about BD yield questionable. BD tends to respect the anatomy of the affected system. Some phenotypes tend to coexist, suggesting a shared aethiopathogeny and that the disease is of a systemic nature.

Behçet's disease phenotypes and clinical outcomes: A cohort study in egyptian patients / Fenotipos y resultados clínicos en la enfermedad de Behçet: un estudio de cohorte en pacientes egipcios

Introduction: Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic inflammatory disease with various presentations. The data on the course of BD in Egyptian patients are limited. Objectives: The objective of the study was to describe the evolution and association of the different phenotypes of BD. Material and methods: This chronological cohort study included adult Egyptian patients suffering from BD. Demographic data and the chronological order of the disease's manifestations were collected. Results: The study included 233 patients. Their mean age at the onset of the disease was 26.3±6.9 years. The mean duration from onset of the disease to meeting the criteria was 11.2±30.3 months. The mean duration of the disease was 96.8±72.2 months. On onset of the disease, the most common phenotypes were mucocutaneous (84.5%), musculoskeletal (15.9%), ocular (14.6%) and peripheral venous disease (PVD) (7.3%); on the other hand, pulmonary, peripheral arterial and great vessel phenotypes evolved several years after onset of the disease. The mean time from meeting the criteria to the evolution of a new phenotype was 53.8±58.7 months. Associations between the different phenotypes were observed: PVD and superficial thrombophlebitis, peripheral arterial disease and PVD; another association was also observed between aortic involvement and cerebrovascular disease. Conclusion: BD could continue to evolve several years after onset of the disease, making the previous belief about BD yield questionable. BD tends to respect the anatomy of the affected system. Some phenotypes tend to coexist, suggesting a shared aethiopathogeny and that the disease is of a systemic nature.(AU)

Introducción: La enfermedad de Behçet (BD) es una enfermedad inflamatoria sistémica con diversas presentaciones. Los datos sobre el curso de la BD en pacientes egipcios son limitados. Objetivos: El objetivo del estudio fue describir la evolución y la asociación de los diferentes fenotipos de BD. Material y métodos: Este estudio de cohorte cronológico incluyó pacientes egipcios adultos que sufren de BD. Se recopilaron datos demográficos y el orden cronológico de las manifestaciones de la enfermedad. Resultados: El estudio incluyó a 233 pacientes. Su edad media al inicio de la enfermedad fue de 26,3±6,9 años. La duración media desde el inicio de la enfermedad hasta el cumplimiento de los criterios fue de 11,2±30,3 meses. La duración media de la enfermedad fue de 96,8±72,2 meses. Al inicio de la enfermedad, los fenotipos más comunes fueron los fenotipos mucocutáneos (84,5%), musculoesqueléticos (15,9%), oculares (14,6%) y la enfermedad venosa periférica (7,3%); por otro lado, la enfermedad pulmonar, arterial periférica y fenotipos de grandes vasos evolucionaron varios años después del inicio de la enfermedad. La duración media desde el cumplimiento de los criterios hasta la evolución de un nuevo fenotipo fue de 53,8±58,7 meses. Se observaron asociaciones entre los diferentes fenotipos: enfermedad venosa periférica y tromboflebitis superficial, enfermedad arterial periférica y enfermedad venosa periférica; también se observó otra asociación entre la afectación aórtica y la enfermedad cerebrovascular. Conclusión: La BD podría continuar evolucionando varios años después del inicio de la enfermedad, haciendo cuestionable la previa creencia del rendido BD. La BD tiende a respetar la anatomía del sistema afectado. Algunos fenotipos tienden a coexistir, lo que sugiere una etiopatogenia compartida y una naturaleza sistemática de la enfermedad.(AU)

Influence of glutathione S transferase A1 gene polymorphism (-69C > T, rs3957356) on intravenous cyclophosphamide efficacy and side effects: a case-control study in Egyptian patients with lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVES: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease. Cyclophosphamide (CYC) is a cytotoxic drug of a narrow therapeutic window that is commonly used in lupus nephritis (LN) treatment. However, 30-40% of patients experience CYC resistance. CYC inactivation is mediated by the glutathione S transferases (GSTs) superfamily: GST class A (GSTA) has the greatest activity and contains 5 isoenzymes. Polymorphisms of genes involved in the drug metabolism could alter the drug pharmacokinetics and effectiveness. CYC pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics are extensively studied in malignancies; however, scarce data are available about this issue in the autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Prediction of the drug response helps the achievement of the highest benefit-to-risk ratio. The aim of this case-control study was to address the association between GSTA1 polymorphism (-69C > T, rs3957356), and the rate of response to and side effects of intravenous CYC in LN patients. METHODS: Ninety-four patients were included and divided into matched groups: resistant and responsive. Genotyping was performed using restriction fragment length polymorphism method after amplification. RESULTS: A significant association between the TT genotype, and CYC resistance and partial response was observed. Concerning the recessive model, none of the patients within the TT group achieved complete remission. CYC side effects were more common with the polymorphism under the genotype, recessive model, and allele distributions. When patients' pre- and post-treatment characteristics were compared, patients with the TT genotype did not show any significant improvement. CONCLUSION: LN patients with GSTA1 (-69C > T, rs3957356) TT genotype have the highest risk of CYC unresponsiveness and toxicity. Key-Points • LN patients with the wild genotype of GSTA1 have the greatest probability of achieving a complete renal response to IV CYC. • The homozygous GSTA1 (-69C > T, rs3957356) TT genotype is associated with the highest risk of LN unresponsiveness to IV CYC. • The homozygous GSTA1 (-69C > T, rs3957356) TT genotype is associated with the highest risk of CYC-related side effects.

Widespread Necrotizing Purpura and Lucio Phenomenon as the First Diagnostic Presentation of Diffuse Nonnodular Lepromatous Leprosy.

Lucio phenomenon, or Lucio leprosy, is a rare severe lepra reaction that develops exclusively in patients with diffuse nonnodular lepromatous leprosy. It is characterized by irregular, angulated, or stellar necrotizing purpuric lesions that develop ulcerations. It mainly involves the extremities and develops as a result of massive invasion of vascular endothelial cells with lepra bacilli and secondary thrombotic vascular occlusion. Antiphospholipid antibodies often are detected in cases of Lucio phenomenon, and they are thought to play a role in its pathogenesis. We report a case of diffuse lepromatous leprosy in Egypt in which Lucio phenomenon with scrotal involvement and positive antiphospholipid antibodies was the first diagnostic presentation. The patient showed an excellent response to a combination of antileprotic treatment, low dose of prednisolone, acetylsalicylic acid, and anticoagulants. In addition, surgical debridement and vacuum therapy were performed for the scrotal lesion. Awareness of this grave presentation of leprosy is important for both dermatologists and rheumatologists to avoid misdiagnosis as vasculitis/collagen disease.

Behçet's Disease Phenotypes and Clinical Outcomes: A Cohort Study in Egyptian Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Behçet's disease (BD) is a systemic inflammatory disease with various presentations. The data on the course of BD in Egyptian patients are limited. OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to describe the evolution and association of the different phenotypes of BD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This chronological cohort study included adult Egyptian patients suffering from BD. Demographic data and the chronological order of the disease's manifestations were collected. RESULTS: The study included 233 patients. Their mean age at the onset of the disease was 26.3±6.9 years. The mean duration from onset of the disease to meeting the criteria was 11.2±30.3 months. The mean duration of the disease was 96.8±72.2 months. On onset of the disease, the most common phenotypes were mucocutaneous (84.5%), musculoskeletal (15.9%), ocular (14.6%) and peripheral venous disease (PVD) (7.3%); on the other hand, pulmonary, peripheral arterial and great vessel phenotypes evolved several years after onset of the disease. The mean time from meeting the criteria to the evolution of a new phenotype was 53.8±58.7 months. Associations between the different phenotypes were observed: PVD and superficial thrombophlebitis, peripheral arterial disease and PVD; another association was also observed between aortic involvement and cerebrovascular disease. CONCLUSION: BD could continue to evolve several years after onset of the disease, making the previous belief about BD yield questionable. BD tends to respect the anatomy of the affected system. Some phenotypes tend to coexist, suggesting a shared aethiopathogeny and that the disease is of a systemic nature.