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Background:Leprosy is an endemic disease, highly dependent of the involved proinflammatory response. Immunobiological drugs improved the treatment for autoimmune diseases, but it larger use also brought the need for screening infectious diseases. There are some case reports about leprosy and immunobiological drugs, although the real risk of leprosy in those patients is unknown.Objectives:To access the risk of leprosy by clinical and complementary evaluation in immunobiological treated patients living in endemic region.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional screening study and consecutively included patients with autoimmune diseases attending Dermatology and Rheumatology ambulatory. Patients were tested for serology (anti-PGL1) and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting Mycobacterium leprae DNA.Results:311 patients were included: 96 on immunobiological drugs, 94 on conventional immunosuppressive drug (mostly metothrexate), 69 on non-immunosuppressive treatment, and 52 controls with no autoimmune disease or immunosuppressive treatment. Two patients of immunobiological group were diagnosed with multibacillary leprosy. The PCR for M. leprae was positive in more 5 subjects (1 control, 1 on MTX and 3 on immunobiologicals). The anti-PGL1 test was performed in 284 patients, and was positive in 64, 15 with a high index (above 2).Conclusion:Immunological status is critical for leprosy control and the findings of possible subclinical infection with M. leprae suggest that leprosy screening should be considered in patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs.References[1] FRADE MAC, et al. Unexpectedly high leprosy seroprevalence detected using a random surveillance strategy in midwestern Brazil: A comparison of ELISA and a rapid diagnostic test. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, v. 11, n.2, p.e0005375, 23 fev. 2017.[2] ANTONIO JR, et al. Biological agents: investigation into leprosy and other infectious disease before indication. An Bras Dermatol2013; 88:23-5[3] LLUCH P, et al. Development of leprosy in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis during treatment with etanercept: a case report. Semin Arthritis Rheum201242:127-30Disclosure of Interests:Patricia Kurizky: None declared, Ciro Gomes: None declared, Mariana Cesetti: None declared, Gladys Martins Consultant for: Jansenn, Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer, Paid instructor for: Jansenn, Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer, Speakers bureau: Jansenn, Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer, Cleandro Albuquerque Shareholder of: Has received personal fees and/or non-financial support from Pfizer, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, Novartis and UCB, Grant/research support from: Has received personal fees and/or non-financial support from Pfizer, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, Novartis and UCB, Consultant for: Has received personal fees and/or non-financial support from Pfizer, AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, Novartis and UCB, Paid instructor for: Has received personal fees and/or non-financial support from Pfizer, AbbVie...

Background: The 6-minute walk test (6TC) was initially used as an instrument for assessing physical and cardiorespiratory capacity, but is currently being used to monitor treatments, and compare physical interventions and prognostic evaluation. Although already recognized as a research method in several specialties, 6TC has not been used in rheumatology. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may have impaired functional capacity as well as increased cardiovascular mortality. An adequate functional evaluation of these patients is necessary and the 6TC may be useful in this sense. Objective: The aim of this study was to perform the 6-minute walk test in RA patients and to compare the performance with a control group. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in which the sample consisted of 85 women, 46 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 39 healthy controls. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed. One-Way ANOVA methodology was used to compare the patient and control groups followed by the graphic analysis. Results: The distance walked on the 6TC by RA patients was on average 522.2 meters. In the distance control group found in the 6TC was on average 628.8 meters, the difference being statistically significant. Conclusion: In this study the distance covered in 6TC by women with RA was lower than that of healthy women of the same age.

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