Los reumatólogos en la pandemia COVID-19 / Rheumatologists in the COVID-19 pandemic

Desde fines del 2019 enfrentamos el brote de una nueva infección por coronavirus llamada COVID-19, que rápidamente se transformó en una pandemia y llegó a nuestro país a principios del 2020. Esto ha traído muchas preguntas y desafíos, específicamente en nuestros pacientes con enfermedades autoinmunes, que tienen tradicionalmente mayor riesgo de contraer infecciones y de complicarse por estas. Por otra parte, en el tratamiento actual del síndrome respiratorio agudo severo causado por el coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 se están usando e investigando varios medicamentos inmunosupresores e inmunomoduladores del arsenal reumatológico para controlar la respuesta inmune exagerada que se produce en el huésped en el COVID-19 grave. En esta revisión analizamos la literatura existente hasta el momento sobre pacientes reumatológicos y COVID-19, medicamentos reumatológicos en investigación y en uso para el manejo de la infección por SARS-CoV-2, y resumimos ciertas recomendaciones de manejo específicas para nuestros pacientes.

Since the end of 2019 we have been facing the outbreak of a new coronavirus infection called COVID-19, which quickly turned into a pandemic arriving in Chile in early 2020. This has brought with it many questions and challenges, specifically for our patients with autoimmune diseases, which have an increased risk of infections due to their disease and the use of immunosuppresant and corticosteroid drugs. On the other hand, in the current treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, several immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory drugs in the rheumatologic arsenal are being used and investigated to control the exaggerated immune response that occurs in the host in serious COVID -19 cases. In this review we investigated the literature to date on rheumatology patients and COVID-19, rheumatology drugs under investigation and in use for the management of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and have summarized certain specific management recommendations for our patients

Curso clínico de la nefropatía membranosa lúpica pura / Long-Term outcome of type V lupus membranous glomerulonephritis

Background: The long-term outcome of the pure form of WHO type V lupus membranous glomerulonephritis is apparently more benign than that of other forms of lupus glomerulonephritis. However 12percent of such patients progress to terminal renal failure. The presence of proteinuria may be an indication of cytotoxic agents. Aim: To study the clinical long-term outcome of WHO type V lupus membranous glomerulonephritis. Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of all kidney biopsies of a University Pathology Department, with the diagnosis of WHO type V lupus membranous glomerulonephritis. Review of medical records of patients with the disease and one clinical assessment of all living patients. Results: Between 1973 and 2000, 703 kidney biopsies were done to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Of these, 40 were membranous glomerulonephritis and in 33 patients (28 women, age range 6-71 years), data on the evolution and survival was obtained. Nineteen had type Va and the rest type Vb nephritis. Two presented with renal failure and 11 with proteinuria over 3.5 g/24h. The median follow-up since the renal biopsy was 63 months (range 1-316). At the end of follow-up, four had a creatinine clearance of less then 15 ml/h and four a clearance between 15 and 29 ml/h (one of these received a renal allograft). Eleven (33percent) patients had died, mostly due to infections. Life expectancy at five years with a creatinine clearance over 15 ml/h was 75percent. Bad prognostic factors were an elevated creatinine clearance over 15 ml/h was 75percent. Bad prognostic factors were an elevated creatinine and high blood pressure at the moment of the biopsy. Conclusions: The clinical outcome of these patients was bad. Twelve percent reached a stage of terminal renal failure. This is in contrast with the 3percent progression to a similar stage of proliferative glomerulonephritis treated with i.v. cyclophosphamide. New therapies for this condition must be sought.

Tratamiento con ciclosporina de la artritis reumatoídea refractaria / Treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis with cyclosporine

Cyclosporine may be useful in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis refractory to other immunosupressive agents, in doses of less than 10 mg/kg/day to minimize its nephrotoxic potential, that is enhanced with prolonged use of concomitant administration of antiinflammatory drugs. We report 15 patients aged 50 ñ 12 years with erosive rheumatoid arthritis lasting 5 ñ 4 yeras and refractory to other immunosupressive agents. They were studied during one year and received cyclosporine in initial doses of 2.5 mg/kg/day that were increased to 5 mg/kg/day, assessing clinical response, blood pressure and serum creatinine. Nine patients, that received a maximal dose of 3.4 ñ 0.7 mg/kg/day during 7 ñ 4 months, improved; a 30 percent increase in creatinine was observed in 3, blood pressure raised in six and 2 bad hepatic toxicity. in the 6 patients that did not improve, the mean treatment lapse was 4 ñ 3 months and the maximal dose achieved was 2.7 mg/kg/day; creatinine increased in one and blood pressure increased in 4. It is concluded that although the clinical response to cyclosporine was good, only 4 patients completed one year of treatment, due to the frequent secondary effects of the drug