Clinical and demographic characterization of the population with osteoporosis in two reference medical centres in Colombia / Caracterización clínica y demográfica de la población con osteoporosis en 2 centros médicos de referencia en Colombia

ABSTRACT Introduction: Osteoporosis is a public health problem. However, there is still a lack of data in Colombia on the characteristics of patients with osteoporosis. Objectives: This study aims to characterize the population with osteoporosis without previous diagnosis. Materials and methods: Observational, retrospective, descriptive study in patients with osteoporosis. Patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2017 were included. The information was obtained from the patient medical records and the densitometry results. Results: Most (92.2%) of the patients came from Medellín, and the rest from Cali. The mean age of the population was 65.1 years (SD: 9.97). As regards the history of fracture, it was reported that 12.0% had suffered from vertebral fractures, 2.3% had a history of fracture in the distal radius, 2.8% in the femoral neck, and 1.4% had had femoral shaft fracture. Bone densitometry showed a mean T-score of -2.90 in the femoral neck; -3.02 in total hip; -3.03 in the lumbar spine, and -3.42 in the 33% radius. In the 602 patients who had a control bone densitometry, an average BMD gain was seen in all the evaluated regions. Conclusions: The present study has enabled the characterizing of patients from 2 Colombian cities with a diagnosis of osteoporosis. The 2 most frequently reported locations for the diagnosis of osteoporosis were lumbar spine and femoral neck. An average BMD gain was also observed.

RESUMEN Introducción: La osteoporosis es un problema de salud pública, sin embargo, en Colombia en la actualidad faltan datos sobre las características de los pacientes con esta enfermedad. Objetivos: Este estudio pretende caracterizar la población con osteoporosis sin diagnóstico previo. Materiales y métodos: Estudio observacional, retrospectivo, descriptivo en pacientes con osteoporosis. Incluyó a pacientes diagnosticados entre el 2014 y el 2017. La información fue obtenida a partir de las historias clínicas de los pacientes y el resultado de la densitometría. Resultados: El 92,2% de los pacientes provenía de Medellín y los restantes de Cali. La edad promedio ± desviación estándar de la población fue 65,1 ± 9,97 arios. En cuanto al antecedente de fractura, se reportó que el 12,0% había presentado fracturas vertebrales, el 2,3% tenía antecedente de fractura en radio distal, el 2,8% en cuello femoral y el 1,4% había tenido fractura de diáfisis femoral. La densitometría ósea (DMO) mostró un T-score promedio de -2,90 en cuello femoral, -3,02 en cadera total, -3,03 en columna lumbar y-3,42 en radio 33%. En los 602 pacientes que contaban con DMO de control se vio una ganancia de la DMO promedio en todas las regiones evaluadas. Conclusiones: El presente estudio permitió caracterizar a pacientes con diagnóstico de osteoporosis en 2 ciudades de Colombia. Las 2 localizaciones más reportadas para el diagnóstico de osteoporosis fueron columna lumbar y cuello femoral; adicionalmente, se observó una ganancia de la DMO promedio.

Baseline characteristics of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with teriparatide in a real-world setting in Latin America: a subregional analysis from the Asia and Latin America Fracture Observational Study (ALAFOS)

Abstract Background: Osteoporosis is a major healthcare concern in Latin America. Factors such as changing demographics, fragmented healthcare systems, and financial considerations may result in a huge increase in the burden of osteoporosis in this region. The aim of this article is to describe the baseline clinical characteristics and fracture history of patients who are prescribed teriparatide in normal clinical practice in Latin America. Methods: We conducted a prospective, multinational, observational study (the Asia and Latin America Fracture Observational Study [ALAFOS]) in 20 countries worldwide to assess the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis receiving teriparatide as a part of routine clinical practice in a real-world setting. In this subregional analysis of the ALAFOS study, we report the clinical characteristics, fracture history, risk factors for osteoporosis, comorbidities, previous osteoporosis therapies and health-related quality of life measures at baseline for patients from the four participant Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. Results: The Latin America subregional cohort included 546 postmenopausal women (mean [SD] age: 71.0 [10.1] years; range: 40-94 years), constituting 18% of the ALAFOS total population. The baseline mean (SD) bone mineral density T-scores were - 3.02 (1.23) at the lumbar spine and - 2.31 (0.96) at the femoral neck; 62.8% of patients had a history of low trauma fracture after the age of 40 years and 39.7% of patients had experienced ≥1 fall in the past year. Osteoporosis medications were used by 70.9% of patients before initiating teriparatide. The median (Q1, Q3) EQ-5D-5 L Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for perceived health status at baseline was 70 (50, 80). The mean (SD) worst back pain numeric rating scale score for the overall Latin American cohort was 4.3 (3.4) at baseline. Conclusions: This baseline analysis of the Latin America subregion of the ALAFOS study indicates that patients who are prescribed teriparatide in the four participant countries had severe osteoporosis and high prevalence of fractures. They also had back pain and poor health-related quality of life. The proportions of patients with severe or extreme problems on the EQ-5D-5 L individual domains were lower than those in the overall ALAFOS study population.

Actualidad en el tratamiento de la nefritis lúpica proliferativa / Update on the treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis

La nefropatía lúpica (NL) es una causa importante de morbilidad y mortalidad en pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) la cual tiene un impacto directo en la supervivencia de estos pacientes. El uso de un tratamiento inmunosupresor agresivo ha mejorado la supervivencia renal y de los pacientes. Los objetivos de esta terapia inmunosupresora son la obtención de una remisión temprana, evitar la aparición de exacerbaciones y la progresión a insuficiencia renal crónica con la mínima toxicidad posible. El tratamiento con pulsos intravenosos mensuales de ciclofosfamida y de glucocorticoides (el régimen del Instituto Nacional de Salud) como tratamiento de inducción y la administración a largo plazo de pulsos venosos de ciclofosfamida o con azatioprina ha llegado a ser el tratamiento estándar de la NL proliferativa severa. El micofenolato mofetil es una alternativa a la ciclofosfamida en el tratamiento de inducción y de mantenimiento de la NL proliferativa. Existen otras opciones terapéuticas para la NL resistente como regímenes más agresivos de ciclofosfamida (a expensas de una mayor toxicidad), inhibidores de la calcineurina, gamaglobulina hiperinmune intravenosa, inmunoadsorción y terapias dirigidas contra la célula B.

Lupus nephritis (LN) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The use of aggressive immunosuppressive treatment has improved both patient and renal survival. The objectives of this therapy should be to achieve a prompt renal remission, to avoid renal flares and progression to chronic renal failure with minimal toxicity. Treatment with monthly intravenous cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids (National Institute of Health regimen) as induction treatment and long-term administration of venous pulses of cyclophosphamide or azathioprine has become standard treatment for severe proliferative LN. Mycophenolate mofetil is an alternative to cyclophosphamide for induction and maintenance therapy of proliferative LN. There are other therapeutic options for resistant LN as more aggressive ciclophosphamide regimens, but at the expense of more toxicity, calcineurin inhibitors, intravenous immunoglobulin, immunoadsorption and therapies that selectively target B cells.