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Background: Most Thai patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) have diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) unlike most Caucasians and some Asians. A longitudinal cohort study among Thai dcSSc is needed. Objectives: We aimed to determine the overall clinical characteristics, define the clinical difference between limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and dcSSc, and ascertain the mortality rate and the factors associated with mortality. Method: We conducted a cohort study including 566 Thai adult SSc patients between January 2013 and June 2019. Clinical difference between lcSSc and dcSSc was investigated using generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results: Females presented more than males (356 vs 210 cases). The majority of cases were dcSSc (411; 72.6%). The median duration of disease at the time of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) detection was 2.5 years, pulmonary arterial hypertension 8.1 years, and renal crisis 4.1 years. By GEE analysis, dcSSc was significantly associated with salt‐and‐pepper skin, hand deformity, and every 1‐point increase in modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). A greater mortality risk was associated with age at onset >60 years (hazards ratio [HR] 5.5), a World Health Organization functional class (FC) III (HR 5.1), FC IV (HR 34.8), edematous skin (HR 11.4), early onset of PF (HR 1.7), each 5‐point increase in the mRSS (HR 4.5), and ≥2 internal organ involvements (HR 10.1). Conclusion: dcSSc is a common SSc subset among Thais. PF was an early complication in SSc and earlier PF detection was associated with a poorer prognosis. Elderly onset, high FC, severe skin tightness, and multiple organ involvements were associated with a greater mortality risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pyogenic arthritis ( PA) is still a problematic arthritic disease that requires hospitalization. Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics and predictors of treatment outcomes for Thai patients hospitalized with PA. Materials and methods The nationwide hospital database from the 2010 fiscal year was analyzed. Patients 18 years of age onward, who had primary diagnosis of pyogenic arthritis, were included in this study. Results There were a total of 6242 PA admissions during 2010. It was ranked third among hospitalized musculoskeletal patients after osteoarthritis ( OA) and gouty arthritis. The estimated prevalence of PA was 13.5 per 100 000 adult population. Geographic distributions of PA was related to the population density of each region; however it seemed more frequent in the northern and northeastern regions of Thailand. The prevalence increased with age, 3.6 and 43.6 per 100 000 in young adults and the elderly, respectively. Among the 2877 co-morbidities coded, diabetes was the most common, followed by crystal-induced arthritis, existing other foci of infections (urinary tract infection, skin and soft tissue infections and pneumonia) and pre-existing chronic joint diseases ( OA,rheumatoid arthritis), respectively. Overall hospital mortality rate was 2.6%. Poorer outcomes were found among patients with chronic liver disease and other existing foci of infections. Conclusions The prevalence of hospitalized PA is still modest in Thailand, showing the highest prevalence in the advanced age group. Diabetes was the most commonly co-morbidity found; however, poorer outcomes were noted among patients with chronic liver disease and existing multiple sites of infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The major cause of death in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is due to the disease activity itself or infection. It is uncertain whether the treatment approach during the last decade prolonged survival in SLE. Objective: Our objective was to identify the causes of death and the factors predictive of mortality and to calculate the survival rate among SLE patients. Method: We conducted a retrospective study of SLE patients followed up at Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, between January 1, 1996 and August 31, 2005. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the probability of survival and assessing factors associated with death. The medical records of 749 SLE patients were reviewed; 66 patients died during the follow-up period. Results: The mortality rate was 1.2 per 100 person-years. The 5- and 10-year survival rate among our SLE patients was 93% and 87%, respectively. The mean age at death was 34.08 ± 11.75 years and the median disease duration was 48 (1-336) months. One-third of the cases were referred from a local hospital more than 1 month after onset and were associated with a significantly higher risk of mortality than cases referred earlier ( P = 0.047). The most common causes of death were opportunistic pulmonary infections and neuropsychiatric lupus. Factors predictive of mortality included: (i) major organ flare more than four times per year; (ii) age at onset > 50 years; (iii) high-dose steroid use and/or immunosuppressive therapy at onset and within 2 weeks prior to death; and (iv) concomitant diabetes mellitus. Protective against mortality was antimalarial use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]