The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and incidence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Tucumán, Argentina. Methods: The study included inpatient and outpatient charts from four public hospitals and private practice rheumatology clinics, all of them members of the Tucumán Rheumatology Society. Patients older than 16 years with diagnosis of SLE between January 2005 and December 2012 were included. Prevalence and annual incidence were calculated as the number of cases per 100.000 inhabitants during the period 2005 to 2012. Results: Three hundred fifty-three patients were identified. The mean age at diagnosis was 30.5 ± 11.7 years, 93.5% women, 83% mestizos. Prevalence was 24.3 cases/100.000 inhabitants (CI 95% 22.6–28.8) and age-adjusted (≥16 years) of 34.9 cases/100.000 inhabitants (CI 95% 32.8–41.1). The annual incidence in 2005 was 1.8 cases/100.000 inhabitants (95% CI 1–2.9) and 2012 of 4.2 cases/100.000 inhabitants (95% CI 2.9–5.8). Mortality was 9.1%, with infections being the most frequent cause (14/32). Conclusion: The prevalence of SLE in the province of Tucumán was 34.9 cases/100.000 inhabitants.

Background:Sexual dysfunction is the alteration in one or several phases of sexual activity (desire, excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution), which can culminate in frustration, pain and a decrease in the frequency of sexual intercourse. There are few studies that associate sexual dysfunction with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) due to the difficulty in assessing it and its multifactorial cause.Objectives:Determine the frequency of sexual dysfunction and analyze associated factors in patients with SLE.Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. We included patients who attended the Rheumatology unit between May and July 2019; over 18 years of age, with a diagnosis of SLE according to the ACR 1997 and / or SLICC 2012 criteria, and healthy patients matched by age as control. Demographic and disease-related variables were studied. The DASS-21 (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale) scale that evaluates depression, anxiety and stress, and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) that assesses 6 domains (desire, excitement, lubrication, orgasms, satisfaction and pain) were applied with a cut-off point ≤ 26.5 to define sexual dysfunction. Women over 50 years old, with secondary Sjogren’s syndrome, menopause, severe depression and illiterate patients were excluded.Results:One hundred and twenty three women were included (60 with SLE and 63 controls), with a mean age of 34.3 ± 8.3 and 31.7 ± 4.4 years respectively. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in the SLE group was 71.7%; 95% CI = [58.5 – 82.5], and 23.8%, 95% CI = [13.9 – 36.2] in healthy patients. There were significant differences in all domains of sexual function between women with SLE and healthy group. In the desire, excitement and pain domains the differences were notable. The total FSFI score in patients with SLE was 18.2 ± 11.2 and in healthy women 28.3 ± 6.9 (p=0.001). Stress, anxiety and depression were observed in 58.4%, 58.3% and 50% of women with SLE and 19%, 20.6% and 28.5% of healthy women respectively (p=0.001). No association was found between sexual dysfunction and age, age at diagnosis, disease activity or treatment (pNS). No association was found in patients with SLE when analyzing the effect of sexual dysfunction in stress, depression and anxiety variables, in opposition to the healthy group (p<0.05).Conclusion:The prevalence of sexual dysfunction in patients with SLE was high (71.7%). Depression, Anxiety, and Stress were not decisive variables in Sexual Dysfunction.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Background:One third of patients with rheumatoid arthritis have some comorbidity at the time of diagnosis and 80% during the evolution. The presence of each additional comorbidity reduces the chances of remission by 28%.Objectives:To determine the prevalence of comorbidities in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and to evaluate associated variables.Methods:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. It were included patients over 18 years of age, who attended the Rheumatology office between May and August 2018 with a diagnosis of RA according to the ACR 1987 and ACR/EULAR 2010 criteria. Demographic variables were studied along with disease-related variables (time of evolution, disease activity by DAS-28 and CDAI, treatment and functional capacity (HAQ-A)). The presence of comorbidities was evaluated using two indexes: Rheumatoid Arthritis Comorbidity Index (RACI) and Disease Comorbidity Index (RDCI). RACI consists of 31 comorbidities grouped into 11 categories: DAS 28 >3.6, local inflammation, smoking, tumors, systemic involvement, infection, vascular disease, bone health, mood, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders (score range 0-36). RDCI consists of 11 comorbidities (categories according to ICD-10) and a formula to calculate it (range 0-9). For both indexes; higher score, greater comorbidity.Results:In this cross-sectional study, 345 patients were evaluated, of which 176 were included, 85.8% of the patients were female and the mean age was 52.7 ± 10.9 years; 31.2% of the cases finished primary school, the median of disease duration was 9 years (1-40), the mean DAS28 3.8 ± 1.4, and the mean CDAI 12.4 ± 11.3. 52.3% of the patients received treatment with glucocorticoids, 60.8% with NSAID, 60.2% with methotrexate, 39.2% with leflunomide, 17.6% with biologic DMARds and 5.6% with tofacitinib. 90.3% of the patients (95% CI 84.8, 94.3) presented some comorbidity measured by RACI. The average score was 4.7 ± 3.4 and the most frequent comorbidity were: elevated DAS28 (40.9%), dyslipidemia (38.1%), AHT (36.4%), prednisone >5 mg/d in 31.8%, endocrinopathies 19.3%. 73.3% of the patients had more than one comorbidity. Regarding RDCI, 47.2% of the cases presented some comorbidity with an average score of 0.95 ± 1.3; the most frequent were: AHT 36.4%, lung disease 12.5% and diabetes 8%. The oldest patients had more than one comorbidity (RACI), and also presented a higher HAQ score than those with only one (p<0.0001). Higher RACI score was associated with higher CDAI (p<0.001) and the use of glucocorticoids (p=0.008).Conclusion:The prevalence of comorbidities in RA by RACI was elevated (90.3%) and 73.3% of the patients presented more than one comorbidity. The patients with the highest RACI score had higher disease activity and used glucocorticoids more frequently.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

Background:Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic, chronic, autoimmune disease of unknown cause characterized by a wide variety of clinical manifestations and autoantibody production. The complement is useful in the initial diagnosis, as an activity marker and for the follow-up of patients with SLE. Individual components may fluctuate only slightly with disease activity and C4 may even remain low during remission. Hypocomplementemia is associated with renal involvement, cutaneous vasculitis, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, however, patients with persistent hypocomplementemia are not characterized yet.Objectives:1) Determine the prevalence of persistent hypocomplementemia in patients with SLE.2) Identify clinical characteristics, disease activity and accumulated damage in these patients.Methods:A longitudinal study was conducted with a review of the medical records of patients diagnosed with SLE (ACR criteria 82/97) who attended the Rheumatology Service between January 2000 and December 2015. Patients with a minimum evolution time of 6 months from the diagnosis of SLE with quarterly controls and monitoring for 2 years. Persistent Hypocomplementemia (PHC) was defined at C3 and / or C4 values below the normal range of the reference laboratory in a sustained form for at least 24 months. Demographic variables, clinical manifestations, disease activity by SLEDAI 2k, flare by SELENA SLEDAI and accumulated damage by SLICC / SDI were analyzed.Results:Clinical records of 254 patients with SLE were reviewed and 144 were included; 96% were women, with a mean age at diagnosis of SLE of 30.5 ± 11.2 years and a time of evolution of the disease at the last control 11.85 ± 7.8 years. Forty-one patients had PHC (28.5%; 95% CI 21.1, 35.8). The median of evolution time disease at the moment of PHC was 1 year (0-24) and the mean time of persistence of hypocomplementemia was 56 ± 46 months. In the univariate analysis, PHC was associated with hematological involvement during the course of the disease (p=0.01). Patients with PHC had a higher frequency of severe flare during follow-up (p=0.02). PHC was not associated with age of onset of SLE, disease activity (maximum SLEDAI reached), accumulated damage or death. Applying Logistic Regression Model with dependent variables with a level of significance <0.25, PHC was associated independently with hematological compromise (OR 3.2).Conclusion:In this cohort of patients, the prevalence of PHC was 28.5%. PHC was associated with severe flare and hematological compromise.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of renal relapse (RR) and remission in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), to identify the risk factors and evaluate the influence of the use of Methylprednisolone pulses in induction therapy.MethodsRetrospective study. Medical charts of 243 patients diagnosed with SLE (ACR 1982) between January 2.000th and December 2.012th, were reviewed at the Rheumatology Department of Angel C. Padilla Hospital in Tucuman. We included patients with Lupus Nephritis (LN) that completed induction therapy. The variables were: demographic, socioeconomic, laboratory, SLEDAI, SLICC/SDI, WHO class, induction and maintenance therapy, Glucocorticoid use (methylprednisolone pulses and cumulative dose). Response to treatment was defined as complete remission (CR), partial remission (PR) and non-responders (NR). Renal relapse (RR) was evaluated in patients who achieved remission after induction therapy. Progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD), end stage renal disease (ESRD), death and cause of death.Statistical analysis: Chi square test, Fisher's exact test, Unpaired t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for comparison, as appropiate. To determinate risk factors, we used logistic regression analysis.ResultsOut of 122 patients with renal involvement, 53 who completed the induction therapy were enrolled in the study (44 achieved remission and 9 were NR), 89% were women, the mean age was 32 years ±10.9, and 61% amerindians. The mean time from diagnosis of SLE to NL was 1.4 years ±2.4, the mean SLEDAI was 14.9±6.2, SLICC/SDI was 2±0.6, proteinuria 5.6g/24 hours ±1.5, the mean creatinine 2.4mg/lt. ±1.3, active sediment 67%, low complement levels 89%, positive anti-DNA in 75%. A renal biopsy (RB) was performed to 29 patients (21 class IV, 4 class V and 2 class II, 1 class III and 1 class VI). The induction treatments were: cyclophosphamide (CPM) in a monthly basis (27), mycophenolate mofetil (11) CPM 500 mg-EUROLUPUS (3) and other schemes (12). During the induction therapy 22% received Methylprednisolone pulses. The mean maximum dose of meprednisone was 42.2mg ±8.2. The patients who received Methylprednisolone pulses (12) had significantly higher levels of basal proteinuria than those who did not receive them (4g/24 hours versus 2.7g/24 hours, p=0.024). Completed maintenance therapy 79% patient. Out of 44 patients who achieved renal remission (24 CR and 20 PR), 24 renal relapsed (54.4%, IC 95% 38-69.6).Patients with positive anti-DNA, low complement and high levels of basal proteinuria who received Methylprednisolone pulses in induction therapy had a higher frequency of RR (OR 5.8, IC 95% 1.06-32.1; p=0.04). Ten patients progress to CKD, 8 to ESRD, and 6 died.ConclusionsMethylprednisolone use was associated with a higher prevalence of full remission, however, in the presence of low complement, positive anti-DNA and elevated proteinuria, RR was more frecuent. There was a higher prevalence of renal relapse (54%).Disclosure of InterestNone declared