ObjectivesTo evaluate risk factors associated with unfavourable outcomes: emergency care, hospitalisation, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), mechanical ventilation and death in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic disease (IMRD) and COVID-19.MethodsAnalysis of the first 8 weeks of observational multicentre prospective cohort study (ReumaCoV Brasil register). Patients with IMRD and COVID-19 according to the Ministry of Health criteria were classified as eligible for the study.Results334 participants were enrolled, a majority of them women, with a median age of 45 years; systemic lupus erythematosus (32.9%) was the most frequent IMRD. Emergency care was required in 160 patients, 33.0% were hospitalised, 15.0% were admitted to the ICU and 10.5% underwent mechanical ventilation; 28 patients (8.4%) died. In the multivariate adjustment model for emergency care, diabetes (prevalence ratio, PR 1.38; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.73; p=0.004), kidney disease (PR 1.36; 95% CI 1.05 to 1.77; p=0.020), oral glucocorticoids (GC) (PR 1.49; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.85; p<0.001) and pulse therapy with methylprednisolone (PR 1.38; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.67; p=0.001) remained significant; for hospitalisation, age >50 years (PR 1.89; 95% CI 1.26 to 2.85; p=0.002), no use of tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) (PR 2.51;95% CI 1.16 to 5.45; p=0.004) and methylprednisolone pulse therapy (PR 2.50; 95% CI 1.59 to 3.92; p<0.001); for ICU admission, oral GC (PR 2.24; 95% CI 1.36 to 3.71; p<0.001) and pulse therapy with methylprednisolone (PR 1.65; 95% CI 1.00 to 2.68; p<0.043); the two variables associated with death were pulse therapy with methylprednisolone or cyclophosphamide (PR 2.86; 95% CI 1.59 to 5.14; p<0.018).ConclusionsAge >50 years and immunosuppression with GC and cyclophosphamide were associated with unfavourable outcomes of COVID-19. Treatment with TNFi may have been protective, perhaps leading to the COVID-19 inflammatory process.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the etiological agent of cervical cancer, the second most prevalent neoplasia among women. Although it has been proven that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have higher frequency of cervical dysplasia, few studies have focused on HPV prevalence among them. This study aimed to investigate HPV prevalence among SLE patients and to evaluate associated risk factors, including the use of immunosuppressors (IM). Total DNA extracted from cervical samples of 173 SLE patients and 217 women (control group) submitted to routine cervical cytopathology was used as template in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays for detection of HPV DNA. HPV genotyping was performed by type-specific PCR, PCR-RFLP and/or DNA sequencing. Statistical methods included univariate analysis and logistic regression. Despite presenting significantly fewer HPV risk factors, SLE patients were found to have a threefold increase in HPV infection, mostly genotypes 53, 58, 45, 66, 6, 84, 83, 61, as compared with controls, who presented types 6, 18 and 61 more frequently. The higher rate of HPV infection was associated with immunosuppressive therapy. This study provides evidence that SLE patients have a high prevalence of HPV infection, which is even higher with the use of IM, a condition that might necessitate a more frequent cervical cancer screening program for these women.

1) Renal biopsy should be performed whenever possible and if this procedure is indicated; and, when the procedure is not possible, the treatment should be guided with the inference of histologic class. 2) Ideally, measures and precautions should be implemented before starting treatment, with emphasis on attention to the risk of infection. 3) Risks and benefits of treatment should be shared with the patient and his/her family. 4) The use of hydroxychloroquine (preferably) or chloroquine diphosphate is recommended for all patients (unless contraindicated) during induction and maintenance phases. 5) The evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment should be made with objective criteria of response (complete remission/partial remission/refractoriness). 6) ACE inhibitors and/or ARBs are recommended as antiproteinuric agents for all patients (unless contraindicated). 7) The identification of clinical and/or laboratory signs suggestive of proliferative or membranous glomerulonephritis should indicate an immediate implementation of specific therapy, including steroids and an immunosuppressive agent, even though histological confirmation is not possible. 8) Immunosuppressives must be used during at least 36 months, but these medications can be kept for longer periods. Its discontinuation should only be done when the patient achieve and maintain a sustained and complete remission. 9) Lupus nephritis should be considered as refractory when a full or partial remission is not achieved after 12 months of an appropriate treatment, when a new renal biopsy should be considered to assist in identifying the cause of refractoriness and in the therapeutic decision.

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Persistent infection with high-risk (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) types is necessary for cervical cancer development. However, little is known about the influence of multiple HPV infections on cervical lesion risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of single and multiple HPV infections in Portuguese women, and to assess the frequency of multiple infections in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). HPV prevalence, type-specific prevalence and extent of multiple infections were assessed in 1057 cervical samples. The Clinical Array HPV assay was used to detect 35 HPV types. According to histological diagnosis, 425 samples were normal, 375 were CIN1, and 257 were CIN2+. HPV status was studied in relation to age and lesion severity. The prevalence of HPV infection was 52.7%; 25.4%, 67.2% and 76.7% were positive for any HPV type in the normal, CIN1 and CIN2+ cases, respectively. Among HPV-positive cases, 32.0% were associated with multiple infections. Among multiple infections, 96.1% harboured HR HPV types and 38.2% HR-low risk (LR) HPV types. Overall, 33 different HPV types (18 HR and 15 LR) were detected. HR HPV types (44.1%) were significantly more prevalent than LR HPV types (8.6%). The most frequent genotype was HPV 16 (25.5%), followed by HPV 31, 53, 66, 58, and 51. Multiple infections showed a significant increase (p 0.005) according to severity of neoplasia, particularly for HR-HR HPV infections (p 0.003). No association between age and multiple HPV infections was observed (p 0.812). However, multiple HR HPV infections were more frequent in women under 30 years of age (35.3%).