There were five key issues on preventive, seven on diagnostic, nine on therapeutic aspects of osteoporosis with four other surgical concerns on fragility fractures. All were approved by a panel of stakeholders through a majority vote. These statements will best inform the clinicians and the specialists including orthopedic surgeons and general care practitioners on issues of postmenopausal Filipino women at risk for osteoporosis and fragility fractures.

Background Since 2014, the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO) algorithm for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) is available worldwide. Aim Based on this document, a Southeast Asia Working Group (SEAWG) wished to see how the new ESCEO algorithm developed in 2019 was perceived by Southeast Asian experts and how it was integrated into their clinical practice. Methods A SEAWG was set up between members of the international ESCEO task force and a group of Southeast Asian experts. Results Non-pharmacological management should always be combined with pharmacological management. In step 1, symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis are the main background therapy, for which high-quality evidence is available only for the formulations of patented crystalline glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. In step 2, oral NSAIDs are a useful option, considering the cardiovascular/renal/gastrointestinal profiles of the individual patient. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid and corticosteroids are a possible alternative to oral NSAIDs, but limited evidence is available. If steps 1 and 2 do not give adequate relief of symptoms, tramadol can be used, but its safety is debated. In general, the indications of the ESCEO algorithm are important in Southeast Asian countries, but the reimbursement criteria of local health systems are an important aspect for adherence to the ESCEO algorithm. Conclusion This guidance provides evidence-based and easy-to-follow advice on how to establish a treatment algorithm in knee OA, for practical implementation in clinical practice in Southeast Asian countries.

These recommendations serve to guide rheumatologists and other stakeholders on the assessment and management of morning stiffness, and help implement the treat-to-target principle in the management of RA.

Osteoporosis is an emerging public health threat to the aging population in Asia. In order to address this regional issue, most countries have their own published guidelines. A multispecialty organization of healthcare providers and stakeholders led by the Osteoporosis Society of the Philippines Foundation, Inc., convened this significant undertaking of formulating local guidelines on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis among postmenopausal Filipino women based on applicable global evidence. The set of recommendations will serve as a manual to all concerned health workers. Revisions to certain issues will be considered as new updates are available.

Salmonella infections occur more frequently among immunocompromised patients such as those with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with high propensity for extra-intestinal, including osteoarticular, involvement. Hemarthrosis following trauma, typhoid fever and septic arthritis of the knee developed in a 20-year-old female lupus patient with pulmonary hypertension, maintained on corticosteroids and warfarin. This article takes the reader through the clinical problem-solving process with an SLE patient whose illness is confounded by prolonged fever, with manifestations indistinguishable from that of either lupus activity and /or an infection. Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotics, and if necessary, surgical intervention are essential principles of management to improve prognosis and prevent long-term disabilities such as destructive arthropathy.