The aim of this study was to determine the association of anti-Sm antibodies with clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and disease damage in a large multi-ethnic SLE cohort. SLE patients (per American College of Rheumatology criteria), age ≥16 years, disease duration ≤10 years at enrollment, and defined ethnicity (African American, Hispanic or Caucasian), from a longitudinal US cohort were studied. Socioeconomic-demographic features, cumulative clinical manifestations, comorbidities, and disease damage (as per the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index [SDI]) were determined. The association of anti-Sm antibodies with clinical features was examined using multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, disease duration, level of education, health insurance, and smoking. A total of 2322 SLE patients were studied. The mean (standard deviation, SD) age at diagnosis was 34.4 (12.8) years and the mean (SD) disease duration was 9.0(7.9)years; 2127 (91.6 %) were women. Anti-Sm antibodies were present in 579 (24.9 %) patients. In the multivariable analysis, anti-Sm antibodies were significantly associated with serositis, renal involvement, psychosis, vasculitis, Raynaud's phenomenon, hemolytic anemia, leukopenia, lymphopenia, and arterial hypertension. No significant association was found for damage accrual. In this cohort of SLE patients, anti-Sm antibodies were associated with several clinical features including serious manifestations such as renal, neurologic, and hematologic disorders as well as vasculitis.

Rituximab is an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that has been used to treat several complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) including nephritis, cerebritis, and hematological disorders. Neutropenia is among the adverse events associated with rituximab; this usually occurs several weeks after therapy. However, early-onset neutropenia has been reported only in a few cases. Herein, we describe a 36-year-old Hispanic SLE woman who developed severe early-onset neutropenia (0.3 × 109/L) after the second weekly rituximab infusion (375 mg/m2 weekly × 4) given for nephritis and hemolytic anemia. She also had early-onset thrombocytopenia after rituximab therapy. Both hematological disorders resolved 12 days after the fourth and final dose. This case, together with few others, suggests that early-onset neutropenia may occur during rituximab therapy. Even though rituximab-induced neutropenia seems to be transient, it may predispose SLE patients to severe complications such as infections.

Abstract. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes an acute febrile illness usually accompanied by severe polyarthralgia and polyarthritis. Previous studies have shown that older age, female gender, and some comorbid conditions are associated with chronic CHIKV arthritis. However, the factors associated with acute arthralgia and arthritis are not well known. Thus, we studied the clinical manifestations associated with acute peripheral joint involvement in a group of CHIKV patients from Puerto Rico. Patients with a history of fever for < 7 days evaluated at the emergency department of a university-based hospital were tested for several pathogens including CHIKV. All patients with laboratory-positive CHIKV infection were studied. Demographic features, clinical manifestations, and comorbidities were determined. Patients with and without peripheral joint involvement were compared using bivariable and multivariable analyses. In total, 172 patients with CHIKV fever were evaluated; 52.9% were women. The mean (standard deviation) age was 21.1 years (19.3). Peripheral arthralgia and/or arthritis were seen in 156 (90.7%) patients. In the multivariable analysis adjusted for age and gender, peripheral joint involvement was associated with myalgia (odds ratio [OR] = 4.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.48-14.72), back pain (OR = 16.77, 95% CI = 3.07-313.82), ocular pain (OR = 8.88, 95% CI = 1.65-165.19), headache (OR = 3.63, 95% CI = 1.06-12.53), anorexia (OR = 5.68, 95% CI = 1.87-18.97), and nausea (OR = 6.88, 95% CI = 2.05-31.49). In conclusion, in this population of patients with acute CHIKV infection, peripheral joint involvement was associated with myalgia and back pain as well as nonmusculoskeletal manifestations such as headache, ocular pain, anorexia, and nausea.

ObjectiveThe American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends a maximum hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) dose of ≤5.0 mg/kg/day to reduce the risk of HCQ-induced retinopathy. To determine if this dose adjustment would have an impact on the clinical course of SLE, we compared outcome measures in a cohort of patients with SLE before and after adjusting HCQ dose.MethodsSixty Puerto Ricans with SLE (per 1997 American College of Rheumatology criteria) treated with HCQ who were changed to HCQ ≤5.0 mg/kg/day were studied. Visits were ascertained every 6 months for 2 years before and 2 years after HCQ dose adjustment (baseline visit). Disease activity (per Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI)), SLE exacerbations, emergency room visits, hospitalisations, disease damage (per Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index), corticosteroids exposure, prednisone dose and immunosuppressive drugs exposure were determined before and after HCQ dose change.ResultsAt baseline visit, the mean age was 43.8±15.1 years. All patients were women. The mean disease duration was 13.8±9.1 years. After HCQ dose adjustment, patients required a lower prednisone dose when compared with visits before HCQ dose reduction. No significant differences were observed for mean SLEDAI scores, lupus exacerbations, emergency room visits, hospitalisations, disease damage and exposure to immunosuppressive drugs before and after HCQ dose adjustment.ConclusionsThis study suggests that adjustment of daily HCQ dose to ≤5.0 mg/kg/day of actual body weight does not have a significant impact on the short-term and mid-term outcomes in this group of patients with SLE.

Background:Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) results in better long-term outcomes. However, the optimal therapeutic window has not been clearly established.Objective:To determine the clinical outcome of Puerto Ricans with RA receiving early treatment with conventional and/or biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) based on the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) definition of early RA.Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed in a cohort of Puerto Ricans with RA. Demographic features, clinical manifestations, disease activity, functional status, and pharmacotherapy were determined. Early treatment was defined as the initiation of DMARDs (conventional and/or biologic) in less than 6 months from the onset of symptoms attributable to RA. Patients who received early (< 6months) and late (≥6 months) treatments were compared using bivariate and multivariate analyses.Results:The cohort comprised 387 RA patients. The mean age at study visit was 56.0 years. The mean disease duration was 14.9 years and 337 (87.0%) patients were women. One hundred and twenty one (31.3%) patients received early treatment. In the multivariate analysis adjusted for age and sex, early treatment was associated with better functional status, lower probability of joint deformities, intra-articular injections and joint replacement surgeries, and lower scores in the physician’s assessments of global health, functional impairment and physical damage of patients.Conclusion:Using the ACR definition of early RA, this group of patients treated with DMARDs within 6 months of disease had better long-term outcomes with less physical damage and functional impairment.

Mesenteric panniculitis pertains to a group of uncommon disorders named sclerosing mesenteritis that present with different levels of inflammation and fibrosis of the small bowel mesentery. It is associated with abdominal surgeries, trauma, malignancies, infections and connective tissue diseases. To the best of our knowledge, no cases of sclerosing mesenteritis have been reported in patients with systemic sclerosis. We present a case of a 61-year-old woman who had incidental CT findings of mesenteric panniculitis. Diagnosis was confirmed by biopsy that showed fat necrosis. On further review she had a 1-year history of Raynaud's phenomenon. Physical examination showed sclerodactyly. She had elevated anticentromere antibodies and skin biopsy was consistent with scleroderma. She was diagnosed with limited systemic sclerosis and was treated with D-penicillamine. After 6 years of follow-up, the mesenteric panniculitis and systemic sclerosis both remained stable. This case highlights the importance of considering rheumatic diseases in the differential diagnosis of sclerosing mesenteritis.

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Objective. To determine the clinical manifestations associated with overweight/obesity in Hispanics from Puerto Rico with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed in 144 patients with FMS (per American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria). Sociodemographic features, FMS-related symptoms, tender points (per ACR criteria), comorbidities, and FMS treatment were examined. BMI was calculated and patients were grouped into two categories: BMI ≤ 24.9 kg/m2 (nonoverweight/obese) and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (overweight/obese). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to evaluate differences between the study groups. Results. The mean (standard deviation (SD)) age of patients was 50.2 (9.9) years; 95.1% were females and 75.7% were overweight/obese. In the bivariate analysis, overweight/obese patients were more likely to have self-reported memory impairment, anxiety, shortness of breath, and urinary frequency than nonoverweight/obese patients. In addition, the tender point count was higher in the overweight/obese group. In the logistic regression analyses, self-reported memory impairment and urinary frequency differences remained significant after adjusting for confounding variables. Conclusion. In this population of Puerto Ricans with FMS, overweight/obese patients experienced more FMS-related manifestations than nonoverweight/obese individuals. However, prospective studies are needed to confirm these associations and to elucidate if weight reduction interventions could favorably impact the severity of FMS.