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La maladie de Sjögren (SjD) est une maladie hétérogène sur le plan clinique et biologique. À ce jour, aucun essai de phase III n'a montré d'efficacité dans la réduction des symptômes ou de l'activité systémique de la maladie, et aucun médicament immunomodulateur n'a été commercialisé. Nous avons précédemment démontré, à partir des données de séquençage d'ARN du sang total du projet PRECISESADS, que les patients atteints de SjD peuvent être regroupés en 4 groupes distincts (endotypes) [1]. Le cluster 1 était caractérisé par une signature de l'interféron (IFN) uniquement, le cluster 2 comprenait des patients similaires à des individus sains, le cluster 3 était marqué par des signatures IFN et des lymphocytes B, et le cluster 4 était caractérisé par des signatures d'IFN, de lymphocytes B et de PNN. Dans cette étude, nous avons émis l'hypothèse que les patients des différents clusters ont des réponses différentes aux différents traitements, en raison de cibles thérapeutiques distinctes dans chacun des clusters. Les données cliniques, biologiques et transcriptomiques ont été obtenues à partir de trois essais contrôlés randomisés évaluant l'hydroxychloroquine et le leflunomide [2] (HCQ-LEF, incluant 13 patients sous HCQ-LEF et 5 sous placebo), le rituximab [3] (RTX, avec 31 patients sous RTX et 25 sous placebo inclus) ou l'abatacept [4] (ABA, incluant 58 patients sous ABA et 59 sous placebo) par rapport au placebo. Le séquençage ARN du sang total a été réalisé sur des échantillons collectés à l'inclusion dans les essais cliniques. Les patients ont été regroupés en 4 endotypes en utilisant un algorithme de réduction dimensionnelle semi-supervisé entraîné sur la base de nos travaux antérieurs. Nous avons comparé les caractéristiques démographiques et de la maladie entre les 4 clusters. Nous avons ensuite évalué la réponse aux traitements, définie par l'indice de réponse STAR [5] , dans les bras de traitement actif et placebo de chaque cluster. Quatre-vingt-un sujets ont été regroupés dans le cluster 1, 24 dans le cluster 2, 80 dans le cluster 3 et 6 patients dans le cluster 4. Les scores ESSPRI ne différaient pas entre les 4 clusters (de 5,71 à 7,22 ; p = 0,48). Cependant, l'ESSDAI était plus faible dans les clusters 1 et 2 (6,36 et 6,62, respectivement) et significativement plus élevé dans les clusters 3 et 4 (8,81 et 10,67 ; p = 0,003). Lorsque les 102 patients traités ont été regroupés et comparés aux 89 patients sous placebo, les patients traités dans le cluster 1 étaient plus susceptibles d'obtenir un score de réponse STAR que les patients témoins (60,5 % contre 23,7 %, p = 0,002) (Tableau 1). Une tendance similaire a été observée dans l'essai RTX. Dans l'essai HCQ-LEF, les patients du cluster 3 ayant reçu le traitement étaient plus susceptibles d'atteindre le score STAR. Que les études soient analysées ensemble ou séparément, aucun traitement par rapport au placebo n'a montré d'efficacité significative dans le cluster 2 (patients au transcriptome similaire à des individus sains). L'analyse des essais contrôlés avec des clusters basés sur la transcriptomique chez les patients atteints de SjD met en évidence l'absence de réponse à l'HCQ-LEF, au RTX et à l'ABA chez les patients similaires à des individus sains. Nous suggérons que ces patients, moins susceptibles de répondre selon le score STAR, ne devraient peut-être pas être inclus dans de futurs essais contrôlés. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L'usage des anti-TNF pour traiter les rhumatismes inflammatoires chroniques (RIC) est formellement contre-indiqué en cas de sclérose en plaques (SEP) avérée et évolutive ou en cas de symptomatologie évoquant une maladie démyélinisante [1]. Ainsi, les thérapie ciblée non anti-TNF sont parfois utilisées dans ce contexte [2,3]. L'objectif de l'étude est de décrire l'évolution de la symptomatologie démyélinisante (stabilité ? Amélioration ?) chez les patients présentant un RIC et traités par une thérapie ciblée non anti-TNF. La stabilité a été définie par le non-aggravation des symptômes cliniques et/ou la majoration des signes magnétiques sur l'IRM cérébrale ou médullaire. Étude française, multicentrique, rétrospective, descriptive, multicentrique, nationale sous l'égide du CRI. Les cas déclarés ont fait suite à des annonces via la newsletter du CRI. Critères d'inclusion : patient > 18 ans, présentant un RIC (polyarthrite rhumatoïde [PR], spondylarthrite [SpPA], rhumatisme psoriasique [R pso]), traité par un traitement ciblé non anti-TNF depuis plus de 3 mois et présentant une pathologie démyélinisante (SEP et/ou manifestations neurologiques évoquant une pathologie démyélinisante), survenue ou non sous anti-TNF. Cinquante et un patients ont reçu au moins un traitement ciblé non-TNF (33 SpA, 13PR, 5R Pso), avec les caractéristiques cliniques, biologiques et thérapeutiques à la baseline. L'âge moyen de diagnostic de la pathologie démyélinisante 37,8 ans (12–76) dans le groupe SpA, 42,7 (24–58) dans le groupe PR et 45,8 (32–56) dans le groupe R pso. Cinquante et un pour cent (n = 26) ont eu au moins une exposition antérieure à un anti-TNF avant l'apparition d'une pathologie démyélinisante (21 SPA, 1 Rpso, 4PR). L'exposition aux traitements non-TNF aux différentes lignes thérapeutiques est : 40 patients aux anti-IL17 avec une durée moyenne de 25 mois (2–103), 5 patients aux anti-IL6R avec une durée moyenne de 42,2 mois (21–133),9 patients aux CTLA-4Ig (abatacept) avec une durée moyenne de 18,6 mois (3–64), 7 patients aux Jaki avec une durée moyenne de 19,3 mois (2–38), 2 patients aux anti-IL23 avec une durée moyenne de 8,5 (7–10), 12 patients aux anti-CD20 avec une durée moyenne de 18,1 mois (4–118), 1 patient a l'aprémilast (inhibiteur PDE4) avec une durée moyenne de 29 mois, et 3 patients aux anti-IL-12 et l'IL-23 avec une durée moyenne de 31,5 (14–64). Cent pour cent des patients (n = 51) ont eu une stabilité ou amélioration de la pathologie démyélinisante. L'association chez 6 patients traités par sécukinumab, 1 patient par tocizulumab et 1 patient par rituximab avec un traitement de fond de la SEP (interféron bêta, tériflunomide, ocrélizumab, acétate de glatiramère) était bien tolérée. L'utilisation des thérapies ciblées non anti-TNF (anti-IL17, anti-IL6R, CTLA-4Ig, Jaki, anti-IL23, anti-CD20, inhibiteur de PDE4 et anti-IL-12 et l'IL-23) chez les patients ayant un RIC ne semble pas aggraver les pathologies démyelinisantes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by joint inflammation and potential extra-articular manifestations. This review compares the presentation and treatment response between anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA)-positive and ACPA-negative RA patients. The incidence of seronegative RA (rheumatoid factor [RF]-negative and ACPA-negative) has increased in recent decades, emphasizing the need for new diagnostic biomarkers. Diagnostically, ACPA is highly specific for RA, yet many patients remain ACPA-negative. The absence of RF and ACPA in RA should trigger further analysis to test alternative diagnosis, in particular when new symptoms arise. Emerging biomarkers like anti-PAD4 and anti-CarP antibodies provide additional diagnostic value, identifying some ACPA-negative patients. Clinically, ACPA-negative patients often exhibit higher disease activity at diagnosis, with more swollen joints and elevated CRP levels. They also tend to have fewer pulmonary and ocular manifestations compared to ACPA-positive patients. Radiographically, ACPA-positive patients are at a higher risk for joint erosions over time. Response to treatment also differs according to ACPA status. Abatacept and rituximab have demonstrated greater efficacy in ACPA-positive patients, showing better disease activity control and higher treatment retention rates. Continuous re-evaluation is crucial for ACPA-negative patients, especially when first-line treatments like methotrexate are ineffective, to rule out RA mimickers and adjust the treatment approach accordingly. These findings underscore the importance of personalized treatment strategies in RA management., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)

Objectives: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAV) are rare conditions characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration in small blood vessels, leading to tissue necrosis. While most patients with AAV present antibodies against either myeloperoxidase (MPO) or proteinase 3 (PR3), rare cases of dual positivity for both antibodies (DP-ANCA) have been reported, and their impact on the clinical picture remains unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical implications, phenotypic profiles and outcomes of patients with DP-ANCA., Methods: A retrospective screening for DP-ANCA cases was conducted at Brest University Hospital's immunology laboratory (France), analysing ANCA results from March 2013 to March 2022. Clinical, biological, imaging, and histological data were collected for each DP-ANCA case. Additionally, a comprehensive literature review on DP-ANCA was performed, combining an artificial intelligence (AI)-based search using BIBOT software with a manual PUBMED database search., Results: The report of our cases over the last 9 years and those from the literature yielded 103 described cases of patients with DP-ANCA. We identified four distinct phenotypic profiles: (i) idiopathic AAV (∼30%); (ii) drug-induced AAV (∼25%); (iii) autoimmune disease associated with a low risk of developing vasculitis (∼20%); and (iv) immune-disrupting comorbidities (infections, cancers, etc) not associated with AAV (∼25%)., Conclusion: This analysis of over a hundred DP-ANCA cases suggests substantial diversity in clinical and immunopathological presentations. Approximatively 50% of DP-ANCA patients develop AAV, either as drug-induced or idiopathic forms, while the remaining 50%, characterized by pre-existing dysimmune conditions, demonstrates a remarkably low vasculitis risk. These findings underscore the complex nature of DP-ANCA, its variable impact on patient health, and the necessity for personalized diagnostic and management approaches in these cases., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objectives: The efficacy of anti-IL-6 receptors such as tocilizumab (TCZ) was demonstrated in patients with PMR in two recent randomized controlled trials. The objective of this multicentre retrospective study was to assess the efficacy of TCZ in PMR patients requiring glucocorticoid (GC)-sparing treatment, as well as different strategies for TCZ withdrawal., Methods: We conducted a multicentre study in French tertiary healthcare departments for patients with PMR. PMR patients receiving off-label TCZ between 2015 and 2022 were included. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients tapering to GCs ≤5 mg/day 6 months after the first TCZ infusion. The secondary endpoints were the proportion in whom GC was discontinued during follow-up, and the proportion of patients in whom TCZ was discontinued., Results: Fifty-three PMR patients were included. Thirty-one patients suffered from active PMR despite conventional synthetic DMARDs. GCs were ≤5 mg/day in 77% of the patients (95% CI 36-89) at 6 months, and in 97% of the patients at 12 months. Six and 12 months after the first TCZ infusion, the proportions of GC-free patients were 22.5% (95% CI 12.7-37.8) and 58.3% (95% CI 43.2-74.1), respectively. Among TCZ withdrawal strategies, TCZ infusion spacing and TCZ dose reduction were more successful (success in 87% and 79% of attempts, respectively) than TCZ discontinuation (success in 52% of attempts; P = 0.012 and P = 0.039, respectively)., Conclusion: In GC-dependent PMR patients, treatment with TCZ led to a drastic decrease in GC dose and remission of PMR. TCZ dose reduction or TCZ infusion spacing are good options to consider in TCZ withdrawal., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To develop recommendations for the routine management of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)., Methods: Following standard procedures, a systematic review of the literature by five supervised junior rheumatologists, based on the questions selected by the steering committee (5 senior rheumatologists), was used as the basis for working meetings, followed by a one-day plenary meeting with the working group (15 members), leading to the development of the wording and determination of the strength of the recommendations and the level of agreement of the experts., Results: Five general principles and 19 recommendations were drawn up. Three recommendations relate to diagnosis and the use of imaging, and five to the assessment of the disease, its activity and comorbidities. Non-pharmacological therapies are the subject of one recommendation. Three recommendations concern initial treatment based on general corticosteroid therapy, five concern the reduction of corticosteroid therapy and follow-up, and two concern corticosteroid dependence and steroid-sparing treatments (anti-IL-6)., Conclusion: These recommendations take account of current data on PMR, with the aim of reducing exposure to corticosteroid therapy and its side effects in a fragile population. They are intended to be practical, to help practitioners in the day-to-day management of patients with PMR., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The objective of this systematic review was to provide an overview of current developments and potentially available therapeutic options for polymyalgia rheumatic (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA), in the coming years., Methods: We conducted a systematic review of 17 national and international clinical trial databases for all disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for PMR and GCA that are already marketed, in clinical development or withdrawn. The search was performed on January 2024, with the keywords "polymyalgia rheumatica" and "giant cell arteritis". For each molecule, we only considered the study at the most advanced stage of clinical development., Results: For PMR, a total of 15 DMARDs were identified: 2 conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs), 11 biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) and 2 targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs). For GCA, 18 DMARDs were identified: 2 csDMARDs, 14 bDMARDs and 2 tsDMARDs. Currently, there are only 2 approved corticosteroid-sparing therapies in these diseases, which both target the IL-6 signaling pathway, namely tocilizumab in GCA and sarilumab in PMR. Most of the molecules in current development are repurposed from from other conditions and clinical research in PMR/GCA seems to be mostly driven by the potential to repurpose existing treatments rather than by translational research., Conclusion: This systematic review identified 23 DMARDs evaluated for PMR and GCA: 3 csDMARDs, 17 bDMARDs and 3 tsDMARDs. Several promising treatments are likely to be marketed in the coming years., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with AbbVie France that includes: board membership, consulting or advisory, and non-financial support. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Amgen SAS that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Bristol Myers Squibb Co that includes: consulting or advisory and speaking and lecture fees. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Celltrion, Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Fresenius Kabi France LLC that includes: consulting or advisory. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Galapagos that includes: consulting or advisory. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with GSK that includes: consulting or advisory. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Janssen-Cilag SAS that includes: consulting or advisory, non-financial support, speaking and lecture fees, and travel reimbursement. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Eli Lilly and Company that includes: speaking and lecture fees and travel reimbursement. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with MEDAC that includes: speaking and lecture fees and travel reimbursement. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with MSD France SAS that includes: travel reimbursement. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Nordic Group that includes: travel reimbursement. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Novartis Pharma SAS that includes: board membership, consulting or advisory, employment, speaking and lecture fees, and travel reimbursement. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Pfizer France that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with Sanofi-Aventis France SA that includes: non-financial support and travel reimbursement. Renaud FELTEN reports a relationship with UCB Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory, speaking and lecture fees, and travel reimbursement. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with AstraZeneca that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with AbbVie Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Alpine Institute for Drug Discovery SA that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Biogen that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Bristol Myers Squibb Co that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with GSK that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Grifols Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Kezar Life Sciences Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with LFB Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Eli Lilly and Company that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with MEDAC that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Merck & Co Inc. that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Pfizer that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with Roche that includes: consulting or advisory. Laurent ARNAUD reports a relationship with UCB that includes: consulting or advisory. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with AbbVie France that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with Biogen that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with BMS that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with Chugai that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with Fresenius-Kabi that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with Galapagos that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with Lilly that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with MSD that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with Novartis that includes: speaking and lecture fees. Guillermo CARVAJAL ALEGRIA reports a relationship with Pfizer that includes: speaking and lecture fees. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The objective is to examine utilisation of cardiovascular preventive services in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), compared with a non-RA population, and to examine cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening rates among RA patients without diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension or hyperlipidaemia to non-RA patients with one of these diagnoses., Methods: All ≥18-year-old patients with an RA diagnosis living in one of eight Minnesota counties on 1 January 2015 were included and matched (1:1) by sex, age and county to non-RA comparators. Rates of screening for CVD risk factors, including DM (ie, glucose), hypertension (ie, blood pressure) and hyperlipidaemia (ie, lipids), were compared between groups using Cox models., Results: The study included 1614 patients with RA and 1599 non-RA comparators. DM screening was more common among patients with RA (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.19), as was hypertension screening (HR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.24 to 1.52). Hyperlipidaemia screening in RA was similar to comparators (HR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.10). Conversely, patients with RA and no CVD risk factors had a lower probability of undergoing diabetes (HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.78) and hyperlipidaemia screening (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.79) than non-RA patients with only one CVD risk factor diagnosis. Hypertension screening was similar between both groups., Conclusions: RA patients undergo CVD preventive screening at rates at least comparable to the general population. However, patients with RA as their sole CVD risk factor were less likely to undergo screenings, despite an equivalent-to-higher risk as the traditional CVD risk factors. These findings demonstrate opportunities for improvement of RA patient care., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV) are a group of rare, primary, systemic necrotizing small-vessel vasculitides. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis account for ∼80-90% of all AAV. Exposure to silica dust, farming and chronic nasal Staphylococcus aureus carriage are associated with increased risk of developing AAV. When a diagnosis of AAV is suspected, as in patients with multisystem organ dysfunction or those with features such as chronic recurrent rhinosinusitis, cavitated lung nodules, palpable purpura or acute kidney injury, then appropriate further investigations are needed, including ANCA testing. In this scenario, a structured clinical assessment should be conducted, evaluating all the organs possibly involved, and tissue biopsy may be necessary for confirmation of the diagnosis. Therapeutic algorithms vary based on the severity of AAV, the clinical diagnosis/ANCA specificity, and the patient's age, weight, comorbidities and prognosis. Recent data favour rituximab as a preferable option for both induction and maintenance of remission. In addition, regimens with less glucocorticoids are equally effective and safer in inducing remission compared with conventional regimens, and avacopan is an effective glucocorticoid-sparing option. In contrast, there is not compelling evidence to support the routine use of plasma exchange in addition to standard remission-induction therapy in AAV. ANCA and other biomarkers can be helpful in association with clinical assessment to guide diagnosis and treatment decisions. Patients should be frequently evaluated during follow-up for possible disease relapses or treatment-related morbidity, and for monitoring damage accrual, especially metabolic and cardiovascular damage., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objectives: Many study groups have developed scores to reflect disease activity. The result of this fragmented process is a multitude of disease activity scores, even for a single disease. We aimed to identify and standardise disease activity scores in rheumatologyMETHODS: We conducted a literature review on disease activity criteria using both a manual approach and in-house computer software (BIBOT) that applies natural language processing to automatically identify and interpret important words in abstracts published in English between 1.1.1975 and 31.12.2018. We selected activity scores with cut-off values divided into four classes (remission and low, moderate and high disease activity). We used a linear interpolation to map disease activity scores to our new score, the AS135, and developed a smartphone application to perform the conversion., Results: A total of 108 activity criteria from various fields were identified, but it was in rheumatology that we found the most pronounced separation into four classes. We built the AS135 score modification for each selected score using a linear interpolation of the existing criteria. The score modification was defined on the interval [0,10], and values of 1, 3 and 5 were used as thresholds. These arbitrary thresholds were then associated with the thresholds of the existing criteria, and an interpolation was calculated, allowing conversion of the existing criteria into the AS135 criterion. Finally, we created a mobile application., Conclusions: We developed an application for clinicians that enables the use of a single disease activity score for different inflammatory rheumatic diseases using an intuitive scale.

Objective: There is little information about the epidemiology and factors associated with opioid therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We aimed to assess the prevalence of opioid therapy and explore factors associated with long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) in patients with SLE., Methods: Patients with SLE were matched with controls without SLE in a population-based cohort on January 1, 2015. We captured demographics, manifestations of SLE, comorbidities (ie, fibromyalgia, mood disorders, osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain [CLBP], chronic kidney disease (CKD), avascular necrosis, osteoporosis, fragility fractures, and cancer), and the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). Opioid prescription data were used to assess the prevalence of LTOT, defined as contiguous prescriptions (gaps of < 30 days between prescriptions) and receiving opioid therapy for ≥ 90 days or ≥ 10 prescriptions before the index date., Results: A total of 465 patients with SLE and 465 controls without SLE were included. In total, 13% of patients with SLE and 3% of controls without SLE were receiving opioid therapy ( P < 0.001), and 11% of patients with SLE were on LTOT vs 1% of controls without SLE. Among patients with SLE, acute pericarditis (odds ratio [OR] 3.92, 95% CI 1.78-8.66), fibromyalgia (OR 7.78, 95% CI 3.89-15.55), fragility fractures (OR 3.72, 95% CI 1.25-11.07), CLBP (OR 4.00, 95% CI 2.13-7.51), and mood disorders (OR 2.76, 95% CI 1.47-5.16) were associated with LTOT. We did not find an association between opioid therapy and ADI., Conclusion: Patients with SLE are more likely to receive LTOT than controls. Among patients with SLE, LTOT was associated with pericarditis and several comorbidities. However, LTOT was not associated with CKD despite the limited pain control options among these patients., (Copyright © 2023 by the Journal of Rheumatology.)

Objective: There is a paucity of population-based studies investigating the epidemiology of lupus nephritis (LN) in the US and long-term secular trends of the disease and its outcomes. We aimed to examine the epidemiology of LN in a well-defined 8-county region in the US., Methods: Patients with incident LN between 1976 and 2018 in Olmsted County, Minnesota (1976-2009) and an 8-county region in southeast Minnesota (2010-2018) were identified. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates and point prevalence over 4 decades, adjusted to the projected 2000 US population, were determined. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs), survival rates, and time to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were estimated., Results: There were 72 patients with incident LN between 1976 and 2018, of whom 76% were female and 69% were non-Hispanic White. Mean ± SD age at diagnosis was 38.4 ± 16.24 years. Average annual LN incidence per 100,000 population between 1976 and 2018 was 1.0 (95% CI 0.8-1.3) and was highest in patients ages 30-39 years. Between the 1976-1989 and 2000-2018 time periods, overall incidence of LN increased from 0.7 to 1.3 per 100,000, but this was not statistically significant. Estimated LN prevalence increased from 16.8 per 100,000 in 1985 to 21.2 per 100,000 in 2015. Patients with LN had an SMR of 6.33 (95% CI 3.81-9.89), with no improvement in the mortality gap in the last 4 decades. At 10 years, survival was 70%, and 13% of LN patients had ESRD., Conclusion: The incidence and prevalence of LN in this area increased in the last 4 decades. LN patients have poor outcomes, with high rates of ESRD and mortality rates 6 times that of the general population., (© 2022 American College of Rheumatology.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine inpatient health care utilization in an incident cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with the general population., Methods: This was a population-based cohort study in the upper Midwest, United States. We included patients fulfilling the European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology SLE classification criteria between 1995 and 2018. They were 1:1 age-, sex-, county-matched with individuals without SLE. All hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits were electronically retrieved for 1995-2020. Rates for hospital admission, length of stay, readmission, ED visits, and discharge destination were compared between groups., Results: Three hundred forty-one patients with SLE and 341 comparators without SLE were included (mean age, 48.6 years at diagnosis; 79.2% female). Rates of hospitalization for patients with SLE and comparators were 29.8 and 9.9 per 100 person-years, respectively. These differences were present across sexes and age groups. Hospitalization rates were higher in patients with SLE after diagnosis and remained higher than comparators for the first 15 years of the disease. Patients with SLE were more likely than comparators to visit the ED (hazard ratio, 2.71; 95% confidence interval, 2.05-3.59). Readmission rates (32% vs. 21%, p = 0.017) were higher in patients with SLE. Length of stay and discharge destination were similar between both groups., Conclusion: Patients with SLE were more likely to be hospitalized and to visit the ED than individuals without SLE, highlighting important inpatient care needs. Increased hospitalization rates were observed in both male and female patients and all age groups., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at higher risk of poor outcomes from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The vaccination rate among such patients is unknown. We aimed to assess COVID-19 vaccine uptake among patients with SLE., Methods: We included 342 patients with SLE from the Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN) and 350 age-, sex-, race-, and county-matched comparators. Vaccination uptake for influenza, pneumococcal, and zoster vaccines before pandemic restrictions began (up to February 29, 2020) was assessed. First-dose COVID-19 vaccine uptake was electronically retrieved and manually ascertained (December 15, 2020, to July 31, 2021). Time to COVID-19 vaccination, demographics, SLE manifestations, medications, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Area Deprivation Index, and Rural-Urban Commuting Area codes were compared., Results: On July 31, 2021, 83.3% of patients with SLE and 85.5% of comparators were vaccinated against COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination rates were similar among SLE and comparators (hazard ratio 0.93, 95% CI 0.79-1.10). Unvaccinated patients with SLE were more likely than vaccinated patients to be men (27.3% vs 14.1%), younger (mean age 54.1 vs 58.8 yrs), have a shorter SLE duration (median 7.3 vs 10.7 yrs), and be less frequently vaccinated with influenza and pneumococcal vaccines., Conclusion: Patients with SLE in the Lupus Midwest Network had similar COVID-19 vaccination uptake as matched comparators, most of whom were vaccinated early when the vaccine became available. One in 6 patients with SLE remain unvaccinated., (Copyright © 2022 by the Journal of Rheumatology.)

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease that can lead to damage of multiple organs and, along with certain treatments, increase the risk of developing cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and infections. Preventive services are particularly important in patients with SLE to mitigate the aforementioned risks. We aimed to evaluate the trends of preventive services utilization in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, compared with non-SLE population., Methods: All ≥19-year-old patients in the Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN) registry, a population-based cohort, with SLE on January 1, 2015, were included and matched (1:1) by sex, age, race, and county to non-SLE comparators. Among both groups, we compared the rates of screenings for breast and cervical cancer, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis as well as immunizations., Results: We included 440 SLE patients and 430 non-SLE comparators. The probability of breast cancer screening among women with SLE was similar to comparators (hazard ratio [HR] 1.09, 95% CI 0.85-1.39), while cervical cancer screening was lower (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58-0.96). Hypertension screening was higher among patients with SLE (HR 1.35, 95% CI 1.13-1.62); however, hyperlipidemia screening was similar to comparators (HR 1.16, 95% CI 0.96-1.41). Diabetes and osteoporosis screenings were more likely to be performed for SLE patients than for comparators (HR 2.46, 95% CI 2.11-2.87; and HR 3.19, 95% CI 2.31-4.41; respectively). Influenza and pneumococcal immunizations were higher among SLE patients (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.12-1.54; and HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.38-3.09; respectively), while zoster vaccination was similar (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.81-1.69)., Conclusions: The trends of utilization of preventive services by SLE patients vary according to screening or vaccine compared with the general population. Considering these differences, we demonstrate an opportunity for improvement, particularly in cervical cancer, hyperlipidemia, and osteoporosis screenings and vaccinations., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The predictive value of random urine sample during outpatient visit to predict persistent microalbuminuria was studied in 76 Type 1, insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, 61 Type 2, non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, and 72 Type 2, insulin-treated diabetic subjects. Seventy-six patients attended outpatient clinic during morning, and 133 during afternoon. Microalbuminuria was suspected if Urinary Albumin Excretion (UAE) exceeded 20 mg/l. All patients were hospitalized within 6 months following outpatient visit, and persistent microalbuminuria was assessed then if UAE was between 30 and 300 mg/24 h on 2-3 occasions in 3 urines samples. Of these 209 subjects eighty-three were also screened with Microbumintest (Ames-Bayer), a semi-quantitative method. Among the 209 subjects, 71 were positive both for microalbuminuria during outpatient visit and a persistent microalbuminuria during hospitalization: sensitivity 91.0%, specificity 83.2%, concordance 86.1%, and positive predictive value 76.3% (chi-squared test: 191; p less than 10(-4)). Data were not different for subjects examined on morning, or on afternoon. Among the 83 subjects also screened with Microbumintest, 22 displayed both a positive reaction and a persistent microalbuminuria: sensitivity 76%, specificity 81%, concordance 80%, and positive predictive value 69% (chi-squared test: 126; p less than 10(-4)). Both types of screening appeared equally effective during outpatient visit. Hence, a persistent microalbuminuria can be predicted during an outpatient visit in a diabetic clinic.