AITD is frequent in SLE and does not affect the severity of SLE. Identified risk factors will assist clinicians in the search for AITD. Our results encourage smoke-free policies in patients with SLE.

Objective. This study was performed to determine the prevalence of and associated risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Latin American (LA) patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods. First, a cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in 310 Colombian patients with SLE in whom CVD was assessed. Associated factors were examined by multivariate regression analyses. Second, a systematic review of the literature on CVD in SLE in LA was performed. Results. There were 133 (36.5%) Colombian SLE patients with CVD. Dyslipidemia, smoking, coffee consumption, and pleural effusion were positively associated with CVD. An independent effect of coffee consumption and cigarette on CVD was found regardless of gender and duration of disease. In the systematic review, 60 articles fulfilling the eligibility criteria were included. A wide range of CVD prevalence was found (4%–79.5%). Several studies reported ancestry, genetic factors, and polyautoimmunity as novel risk factors for such a condition. Conclusions. A high rate of CVD is observed in LA patients with SLE. Awareness of the observed risk factors should encourage preventive population strategies for CVD in patients with SLE aimed at facilitating the suppression of cigarette smoking and coffee consumption as well as at the tight control of dyslipidemia and other modifiable risk factors.

Biotherapeutic products have revolutionized medicine, changing the way we can treat some chronic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases. The patent expiry and the high costs of reference biotherapeutic products, among other factors, have promoted interest in similar biotherapeutic products (SBPs), also known as biosimilars. The objective of developing an SBP is to manufacture a "highly similar" molecule to a reference biotherapeutic product, by conducting a comparability exercise that can demonstrate similar quality, safety, and efficacy. Regulations like those of the World Health Organization, the European Medicines Agency, and the Food and Drug Administration are international reference standards. Herein, we aim to point out the current status in Latin America on SBPs, focusing on regulatory issues within the context of autoimmune diseases. The regulations of Argentina, Peru, Chile, Guatemala, Panama and Costa Rica follow the World Health Organization guidelines. Other countries, such as Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, and Brazil have regulations that take into account international standards combined with local features. In Colombia, a draft decree is under revision and the debate is ongoing. Some countries have already approved SBPs. Mexico, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru market SBPs of rituximab, and Colombia markets an SBP of etanercept. The advent of SBPs is definitely beneficial. Safety and efficacy must be ensured following clear and comprehensive regulations.

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