Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Risk Measurement in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis in a University Hospital

Abstract Background: Psoriatic Arthritis is the spondyloarthritis associated with psoriasis, which is often related to high mortality due to cardiovascular causes. Objectives: To quantify cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity and smoking) and to measure risk by the Global Cardiovascular Risk Score in patients with psoriatic arthritis. Methods: Patients with psoriatic arthritis according to the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis, aged between 30 and 74 years and without any other clinically manifest chronic inflammatory disease, atherosclerotic disease or heart failure were included. After an interview, clinical examination and data extraction from medical records, risk stratification was performed using a calculator available on the online platform of the Framingham Heart Study. We considered p < 0.05 as significant. Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used to compare frequencies, as well as correlation measurements. Results: 45 patients were included, 68,9% of which were women and the mean age was 53,94 years. Dyslipidemia was confirmed in approximately 93%, hypertension in 46%, obesity in 40%, 33.3% were diabetics and, 13.3%, smokers; 95% had increased abdominal circumference. It was observed that 53% had high cardiovascular risk, 29% had intermediate risk and 18% had low risk. Individuals with altered C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate presented, respectively, higher levels of LDL-C and total cholesterol. Conclusions: There was a high occurrence of risk factors and the majority of the sample was stratified into high or intermediate cardiovascular risk.

Evaluation of the occurrence of sexual dysfunction and general quality of life in female patients with psoriasis

Abstract: Background: Psoriasis has a significant impact on quality of life (QoL). Sexual life can also be affected, with sexual dysfunction being reported by 25-70% of patients. Objectives: To determine the occurrence of sexual dysfunction and evaluate QoL in women with psoriasis. Methods: This case-control study included women aged 18-69 years. The validated Brazilian Portuguese versions of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were administered to all participants to assess sexual function and QoL, respectively. Patients with psoriasis underwent clinical evaluation for the presence of comorbidities, especially psoriatic arthritis and other rheumatic manifestations. Location of lesions and the extent of skin involvement were also assessed. Results: The sample consisted of 150 women, 75 with diagnosis of psoriasis and 75 healthy controls. Prevalence of sexual dysfunction was high in women with psoriasis (58.6% of the sample). Prevalence was statistically higher in women with psoriasis than in controls (P = 0.014). The SF-36 domain scores were also lower in women with psoriasis, with role limitations due to physical health, limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health being the most affected domains. Study limitations: Sample size was calculated to evaluate the association between the occurrence of sexual dysfunction and psoriasis, but it did not include the determination of the possible causes of this dysfunction. Conclusions: QoL and sexual function were altered in women with psoriasis and should be taken into consideration when assessing disease severity.

HLA-B27 frequency in a group of patients with psoriatic arthritis / Freqüência de HLA-B27 em uma amostra de pacientes com artrite psoriática

BACKGROUND: HLA-B27 is associated with spondyloarthritis, a group of diseases that includes psoriatic arthritis. OBJECTIVES: To describe the HLA-B27 frequency in a group of Brazilian patients with psoriatic arthritis and correlate its presence or absence with their clinical manifestations. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 44 psoriatic arthritis patients of a Rheumatology clinic. Demographic and social data were recorded, as were skin and joints clinical examination. HLA-B27 was tested. All data were processed descriptively and comparatively by appropriate software. Parametric and non parametric tests were used with 5% statistical significance. RESULTS: HLA-B27 was negative in 32 of the 44 patients (72,7%). Most of them were male, Caucasian, living in Rio de Janeiro, with plaque type psoriasis and average age of 52,9 years. There was statistical significant correlation between positive HLA-B27 and male gender (p=0,004). Negative HLA-B27 had a tendency to correlate with hands and wrists arthritis (p=0,07). There was an inverse significant correlation between HLA values and Schöber's test (p=0,02). CONCLUSION: Although HLA-B27 is negative in most of patients, it is significantly associated to male gender and inversely correlated with Schöber's test.

FUNDAMENTOS: O HLA-B27 está associado às espondiloartrites, grupo de doenças que engloba, entre outras, a artrite psoriásica. OBJETIVOS: Descrever a freqüência de HLA-B27 em uma amostra de pacientes brasileiros com artrite psoriásica e correlacionar sua presença ou ausência com as manifestações clínicas dos mesmos. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal avaliando 44 pacientes com artrite psoriásica de um ambulatório de Reumatologia. A avaliação consistia em registro de informações demográficas e sociais, exame clínico da pele e das articulações e pesquisa de HLA-B27. Os dados gerados foram tratados por meio de estatística descritiva e comparativa em Software apropriado. Foram utilizados testes paramétricos e não-paramétricos com significância estatística de 5%. RESULTADOS: O HLA-B27 resultou negativo em 32 dos 44 pacientes estudados (72,7%). A maioria dos pacientes era do sexo masculino, da raça branca, procedente do Rio de Janeiro, portador de psoríase em placas e com idade média de 52,9 anos. Houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre o HLA-B27 positivo e o sexo masculino (p=0,004). O HLA-B27 negativo teve tendência à correlação com artrite de mãos e punhos (p=0,07). Houve correlação inversa significativa entre os valores do HLA e do teste de Schöber (p=0,02). CONCLUSÃO: Apesar do HLA-B27 ser negativo na maioria dos pacientes estudados, esteve significativamente associado ao sexo masculino e inversamente correlacionado ao teste de Schöber.

Psoriasis and uveitis: a literature review / Psoríase e uveíte: uma revisão da literatura

Psoriasis is a systemic, chronic, immunologically mediated disease, with significant genetic and environmental influences. It affects from 1 to 3% of the world population. Recently, the relation between psoriasis and different comorbidities, particularly metabolic syndrome, has become extremely relevant. Uveitis is characterized by a process of intraocular inflammation resulting from various causes. Considering psoriasis and uveitis as immune-mediated diseases, this study aims to evaluate the possible association of psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis with uveitis and its subtypes. Few studies have evaluated the association of uveitis and psoriasis without joint involvement. It seems that psoriasis without arthropathy is not a risk factor for the development of uveitis. Uveitis tends to develop more frequently in patients with arthropathy or pustular psoriasis than in patients with other forms of psoriasis. Ophthalmic examination should be performed periodically in patients with psoriasis and uveitis. If ophthalmopathy is diagnosed, the patient should receive adequate treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs or immunomodulators to prevent vision loss.

Psoríase é uma doença sistêmica, crônica, imunologicamente mediada, com importante influência genética e ambiental, que afeta 1 à 3% da população mundial. Nos últimos anos, a relação da psoríase com diferentes comorbidades, em especial a síndrome metabólica, tornou-se extremamente relevante. A uveíte é caracterizada por um processo de inflamação intra-ocular resultante de várias causas. Considerando a psoríase e a uveíte como doenças imunologicamente mediadas, o presente trabalho visa avaliar a possível associação da psoríase e/ou artrite psoriática com a uveíte e seus subtipos. Poucos são os estudos que avaliam a associação de uveíte e psoríase sem comprometimento articular. Parece que a psoríase sem artropatia não seria um fator de risco para desenvolvimento de uveíte. A uveíte tende a desenvolver mais frequentemente em pacientes com artropatia ou psoríase pustulosa que em outras formas de psoríase. Avaliação oftalmológica deve ser feita periodicamente em pacientes com psoríase, proporcionando ao paciente um diagnóstico precoce da oftalmopatia e a instituição de tratamento adequado com anti-inflamatórios não hormonais ou drogas imunomoduladoras, no intuito de evitar a perda da visão nos pacientes com psoríase e uveíte.

Espódilo Artropatía indiferenciada, espondilitis anquilosante y artropatia psoriasica: descripcion clinica, diagnostica y radiologica / Espódilo undifferentiated arthropathy, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthropathy: clinical description, diagnostic and radiological

La espondilitis anquilosante, artritis reactiva, artritis psoriásica, artritis enteropática, espondilitis anquilosante juvenil y espondiloartropatía indife-renciada, conforman el grupo de Espóndilo artropatías seronegativas. Como síndrome clínico comparten signos y síntomas inflamatorios, compromiso articular y extra articular, HIA-B27 positivo, factor reumatoide negativo y curso crónico; debiendo ser incluidas como diagnósticos diferenciales del síndrome de dolor lumbar y cervical crónico, especialmente cuando es de tipo inflamatorio o maligno. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal y retrospectivo, elaborando una descripción clínica, diagnóstica y radiológica de pacientes incluidos en la base de datos de la unidad de reumatología de la Clínica Universitaria Bolivariana con diagnósticos de espondilitis anquilosante, espondiloanropatía indiferenciada y artritis psoriásica, atendidos entre septiembre de 2002 y julio de 2004, aplicando el formato de Espóndilo artropatías diseñado para esta investigación. Se evaluaron 27 pacientes: 55.6% hombres y 44.4% mujeres, entre 20 y 56 años. La Espóndilo artropatías serone-gativas más frecuente fue la espondilitis anquilosante (70.3%), seguida de artritis psoriásica (22.2%) y espon-diloartropatía indiferenciada (7.4%). Los síntomas más frecuentes se registraron en la región lumbar y en los talones (51.9%), rigidez artricular en la región lumbar (59.3%) y localización de la artritis en los hombros (11.1%). Los signos más frecuentes fueron Patrick y Sch6ber (62.9%).La sacroileitis bilateral y enteritis piramidal fueron los hallazgos radiológicos más frecuentes (48.1%). Para el presente estudio, la espondilítis anquilosante fue la entidad más frecuente y cursó con mayores signos y síntomas inflamatorios, predominó el compromiso del esqueleto axial, evolucionó de manera crónica y progresiva y cursó con mayor evidencia de compromiso radiológico, comparado con la anritis psoriásica y espondiloanropatía indiferenciada.

Ankylosing Spondyltis, Reactive Anhinis, Psoriasic Anhritis, Enteropatic Arthritis,youthful Ankylosing Spondylítis and Undifferentiated Spondyloanhropathies make up the group of sero-negative spondyloanhropaties. As a clinical syndrome, they share both inflammatory signs and symptoms, in-joint and out-joint involvement, positive HLA-B27, a negative rheumatoid factor and a chronic course. The physician ought to include them as differential diagnosis for chronic back pain and cervical pain, specially when the clínical picture is of inflammatory or maligntype. A descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study was performed, developing a description of the clinical, diagnostic and radiological issues of patients included in the Clínica...