Efecto de la hidroxicloroquina sobre la sensibilidad a la insulina y el perfil de lípidos en pacientes con artritis reumatoide / Effects of hydroxychloroquine on insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a decrease in insulin sensitivity (IS), which has been identified as an independent risk factor for the development of early atherosclerosis. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) may have beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis and lipid profile. Aim: To assess the effect of HCQ on IS and lipid profile in patients with RA. Material and Methods: An open clinical trial was performed in 15 patients aged between 35 and 56 years. During three months, patients received 400 mg/day of HCQ orally. Before and after the pharmacological intervention, demographic and anthropometric variables, serum glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, insulin and uric acid were measured. IS was estimated as the rate of glucose clearance per minute obtained with the insulin tolerance test (KITT). Results: Baseline and final KITT values were 4.3 ± 1.2 and 4.80 ± 1.1%/min, respectively (p = 0.03). Significant reductions in serum TC (p = 0.04) and TG (p = 0.01) were also observed. No other significant differences were observed. Conclusions: Oral administration of 400 mg/day of HCQ during three months in RA patients is associated with an improvement in IS, TC and TG.

[Effects of hydroxychloroquine on insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]. / Efecto de la hidroxicloroquina sobre la sensibilidad a la insulina y el perfil de lípidos en pacientes con artritis reumatoide.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a decrease in insulin sensitivity (IS), which has been identified as an independent risk factor for the development of early atherosclerosis. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) may have beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis and lipid profile. AIM: To assess the effect of HCQ on IS and lipid profile in patients with RA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An open clinical trial was performed in 15 patients aged between 35 and 56 years. During three months, patients received 400 mg/day of HCQ orally. Before and after the pharmacological intervention, demographic and anthropometric variables, serum glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, insulin and uric acid were measured. IS was estimated as the rate of glucose clearance per minute obtained with the insulin tolerance test (KITT). RESULTS: Baseline and final KITT values were 4.3 ± 1.2 and 4.80 ± 1.1%/min, respectively (p = 0.03). Significant reductions in serum TC (p = 0.04) and TG (p = 0.01) were also observed. No other significant differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Oral administration of 400 mg/day of HCQ during three months in RA patients is associated with an improvement in IS, TC and TG.

[Prevalance of antibodies against hepatitis C and B viruses in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Prevalencia de anticuerpos contra virus de hepatitis C y B en pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico.

UNLABELLED: Viruses might be one of the environmental agents that trigger systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) antibodies in patients with SLE. METHODS: We investigated 110 SLE patients (106 women and 4 men, mean age 35.1 years) who fulfilled the criteria for SLE of the American College of Rheumatology. Three hundred blood donors served as controls. Antibodies against HCV and HBV were tested by a third generation ELISA. Positive results for anti-HCV were further studied by a third generation recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA 3.0) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A positive ELISA assay was considered when the result was positive on two consecutive determinations. RESULTS: Antibodies to HCV were present in 3 blood donors (1%), compared with 2 SLE patients (p = 0.4, Fisher's test). One SLE patient was RIBA positive and was lost for follow-up, and the another was confirmed by PCR. This patient had chronic hepatitis and a history of blood transfusion. No patient or control was HBV positive. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of antibodies against HCV and HBV was not higher than in blood donors and the relation between these viruses and SLE could not be established.