Rheumatoid Arthritis: Kraus A

Soto-Rojas AE, Kraus A. · Departamento de Inmunología y Reumatología, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán (INCMNSZ), Vasco de Quiroga #15, Tlalpan, 14000 México City, D.F., México. · Arch Med Res. · Pubmed #11886706 No free full text.

Abstract: Sjögren syndrome (SS) is an inflammatory disease of the exocrine glands. Although not always present, signs and symptoms of dry eyes and xerostomia are characteristic features of SS. Oral dryness is one of the most important data of patients with SS. Several sets of criteria have been published; however, there is no definitive agreement concerning which is the most useful. In addition to its various clinical manifestations, lack of understanding of the causes of SS delays prompt diagnosis. Histologically, the salivary gland shows a characteristic lymphocytic infiltrate, which is implicated in the destruction of gland cells. Saliva performs an important role in maintaining and protecting oral health. Deficient quality and quantity of saliva have a detrimental consequence for dental and oral health. In some patients, appropriate information regarding dry mouth care is not offered because most professionals either neglect or ignore adequate attention to oral health. Therefore, lack of treatment is frequent. Medical and dental studies that focus on the oral aspects of diagnosis, consequences, and treatment of SS are commented on. Diagnostic methods used for the oral component are also reviewed. The role of the oral tests developed to diagnose SS is assessed, especially tests used by the majority of criteria. Impairment of salivary secretion increases the risk of developing oral diseases; the therapeutic modalities designed to ameliorate these damages by increasing salivary output or by substitution of saliva are reviewed. We discuss published prevention techniques to diminish dental, periodontal, and soft tissue infections.

Tovar AR, Gómez E, Bourges H, Ortíz V, Kraus A, Torres N. · Department of Physiology of Nutrition, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutricion, México, México. · Eur J Clin Nutr. · Pubmed #12428174 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is evidence that pyridoxine deficiency may alter the immune response. It is not known whether a deficiency of this vitamin is evident in subjects with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). OBJECTIVE: We studied whether subjects with primary SS showed a biochemical deficiency of pyridoxine, and if it is associated with abnormal production of interleukin-2 from lymphocytes stimulated in vitro with phytohemagglutinin (PHA). DESIGN: Two studies were conducted, (i) biochemical and nutritional assessments were performed in a cross-over study in subjects with primary SS, who were supplemented with 25 mg/day of pyridoxine or placebo for 3 months. After 1 month washout, they were supplemented for 3 months with placebo, (ii) patients with SS and matched controls received pyridoxine or placebo for 45 days, and a blood sample was obtained to study IL-2 production and expression in T-lymphocytes stimulated with PHA. RESULTS: Subjects with primary SS showed limited dietary intake of pyridoxine and biochemical deficiency of this vitamin assessed through the activation coefficient of the erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase. The biochemical deficiency did not affect production nor mRNA expression of IL-2 from T-lymphocytes stimulated in vitro with PHA compared with the control group. Supplementation of subjects with primary SS with 25 mg/day with pyridoxine for 45 days did not produce any significant change as compared to those patients supplemented with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with primary SS showed biochemical deficiency of pyridoxine, possibly due to limited intake of this vitamin which was corrected by supplementation with pyridoxine. However, IL-2 production and mRNA expression from stimulated lymphocytes were unaffected by supplementation, probably because the deficiency was not severe enough to affect the immune system. SPONSORSHIP: This work was supported by the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), Mexico, grant no. 212226-5-0902PM.

Villa AR, Kraus A, Jiménez-Corona A, Sandino S, Velázquez-González A, Granados J, Alarcón-Segovia D. · The Clinical Epidemiology Unit. · J Clin Rheumatol. · Pubmed #19078467 No free full text.

Abstract: ABSTRACT: Relationships between autoimmune rheumatic diseases and malignant neoplasms have been discussed, but there is no study of the different rheumatic diseases examining the risk of developing cancer. Our study has examined probabilities for developing malignancy among patients with connective tissue diseases seen in a single institution. Patients with autoimmune rheumatic disease and malignancy were compared with patients with the same autoimmune rheumatic diseases without malignancy. All cases identified through record-linkage from 1964 to 1996 were selected. Four controls per case were randomly selected from a pool of 3228 patients. The rheumatic diseases considered were rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), dermatomyositis-polymyositis (DM-PM), and systemic sclerosis (Scl). The statistical analysis was conducted by conditional logistic regression, testing rheumatic disease as main effect. We identified 72 cases and 288 controls. Fifty-three of the cases had solid tumors, and 19 had lymphoproliferative neoplasms. The risk of developing a malignancy was considerably higher in DM-PM than in SLE (odds ratio [OR] = 17.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.1-75.7), in pSS than in SLE (OR = 5.7, 95% CI 2.2-15.1), and in Scl than in SLE (OR = 5.4, 95% CI 1.6-18.0). These risks persisted after controlling for rheumatic disease duration, the time the disease was active, and anti-rheumatic treatment. RA had an OR of 1.8 (95% CI 0.9-3.4) with respect to SLE. This is the first study which describes the magnitude of risks among rheumatic diseases associated with the probability of developing a malignant neoplasm whether lymphoproliferative or solid. The risks in this series depend on the primary rheumatic disease, with DM-PM, pSS, and Scl all having greater risk than SLE.

Schäd SG, Kraus A, Haubitz I, Trcka J, Hamm H, Girschick HJ. · Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str, 97080 Würzburg, Germany. · Arthritis Res Ther. · Pubmed #17266758 links to  free full text

Abstract: Pseudoporphyria (PP) is characterized by skin fragility, blistering and scarring in sun-exposed skin areas without abnormalities in porphyrin metabolism. The phenylpropionic acid derivative group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, especially naproxen, is known to cause PP. Naproxen is currently one of the most prescribed drugs in the therapy of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The prevalence of PP was determined in a 9-year retrospective study of children with JIA and associated diseases. In addition, we prospectively studied the incidence of PP in 196 patients (127 girls and 69 boys) with JIA and associated diseases treated with naproxen from July 2001 to March 2002. We compared these data with those from a matched control group with JIA and associated diseases not treated with naproxen in order to identify risk factors for development of PP. The incidence of PP in the group of children taking naproxen was 11.4%. PP was particularly frequent in children with the early-onset pauciarticular subtype of JIA (mean age 4.5 years). PP was associated with signs of disease activity, such as reduced haemoglobin (<11.75 g/dl), and increased leucocyte counts (>10,400/microl) and erythocyte sedimentation rate (>26 mm/hour). Comedications, especially chloroquine intake, appeared to be additional risk factors. The mean duration of naproxen therapy before the onset of PP was 18.1 months, and most children with PP developed their lesions within the first 2 years of naproxen treatment. JIA disease activity seems to be a confounding factor for PP. In particular, patients with early-onset pauciarticular JIA patients who have significant inflammation appear to be prone to developing PP upon treatment with naproxen.

Lazcano-Ponce E, Angeles-Llerenas A, Alvarez-del Río A, Salazar-Martínez E, Allen B, Hernández-Avila M, Kraus A. · Dirección de Enfermedades Crónicas, Centro de Investigaciones en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), Secretaría de Salud (SSA), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. · Arch Med Res. · Pubmed #15036803 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Despite evidence that open communication concerning diagnosis of a disease substantially improves the doctor-patient relationship, in developing countries physicians often provide partial information. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study with 379 physicians practicing at 11 hospitals in Mexico City and in the central Mexican state of Morelos to quantify their communication patterns with patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and rheumatoid arthritis. Communication patterns were defined as physician self-reported communication with patients with regard to their diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Logistic, ordinal, multivariate models were constructed for analysis. RESULTS: Assigning a high level of value to communication (odds ratio [OR] 5.5, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.1-14.8), and bioethics training (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.3) were principal predictors of explicit communication with cancer patients. We found a very strong association between explicit communication with HIV/AIDS patients and an accepting attitude of the physician toward death (OR 34.6, 95% CI 8.5-141.0). As for communication with rheumatoid arthritis patients, we observed an association between a very paternalistic attitude on the part of the physician (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.9-24.1) and complete communication. CONCLUSIONS: In Mexico, physicians exercise power and authority over patients in an effort that they perceive as beneficial or preventing harm. In most cases, physicians do not seem to recognize or respect their patients' autonomy; therefore, communication is generally partial and vague. Our study established the need among physicians for bioethics and communication training. A discussion of this topic is necessary to transform the doctor-patient relationship and to establish a consensus for policies and norms for communication that benefits patients.

Sánchez-Guerrero J, Aguirre-García E, Pérez-Dosal MR, Kraus A, Cardiel MH, Soto-Rojas AE. · Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, 14000 México, D.F. Mexico. · Rheumatology (Oxford). · Pubmed #11961167 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To develop a screening test for xerostomia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 152 healthy subjects aged <20-60 yr, 30 patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome and 60 patients with other connective tissue diseases, sampled randomly. A validated screening questionnaire for sicca syndrome and the Schirmer-1 and wafer tests were carried out in all subjects. In addition, non-stimulated whole salivary flow was measured in a random sample of 113 participants. The main outcome was the time of dissolution of the wafer. RESULTS: Time of dissolution of the wafer was 2.8+/-2.1 min in the healthy group, 3.3+/-1.5 min in the connective tissue diseases group, and 9.2+/-3.9 min in the primary Sjögren's syndrome group (P<0.001). The correlation coefficient between the wafer test and non-stimulated whole salivary flow was -0.60 [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.47, -0.71]. A cut-off value of 4 min ('wafer 4') showed sensitivity of 92.9%, specificity of 71.7%, a positive predictive value of 31.7%, a negative predictive value of 98.6%, accuracy of 74.3%, an ROC (receiver operating curve) value of 82.3 and a likelihood ratio of 3.3 (95% CI 2.3, 4.6) for xerostomia. The proportion of patients with wafer 4 was 8% in the healthy group, 23% in the connective tissue diseases group and 93% in the primary Sjögren's syndrome group (P<0.001). Wafer 4 was a significant predictor of xerostomia after controlling for age, gender, temperature and relative humidity. CONCLUSION: The wafer test is valid and reliable for identifying subjects with xerostomia.