Multimodality Cardiac Imaging in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a wide range of cardiovascular complications. The main manifestations include diseases of the coronary arteries, valves, pericardium, and myocardium. Multimodality cardiovascular imaging techniques are critical for evaluating the extent of cardiac manifestations in SLE patients, which can provide valuable prognostic information. However, their utility has previously not been well defined. This review provides a state-of-the-art update on the cardiovascular manifestations of lupus, as well as the role of multimodality cardiac imaging in guiding management of patients with SLE.

Lack of Association Between Sex Hormones, MDSCs, LDGs and pDCs in Males and Females With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and low-density granulocytes (LDGs) are interferon-alpha producing cells that create a pro-inflammatory response in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) leading to auto antibody production and organ damage. Both pDCs and LDGs have been shown to be dysfunctional in patients with active SLE. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have the capacity to control T and B cell activation and differentiation, and have recently been identified as cells of interest in SLE as well. While not fully understood, previous studies have suggested that pDCs are regulated in part by both X chromosome inactivation and estradiol. Whether sex chromosomes or sex hormones regulate MDSCs and LDGs remain to be determined. We aimed to explore the relative role of sex and sex hormones on pDC, MDSC and LDG frequency and function in SLE patients. We recruited patients with SLE as defined by ACR or SLICC classification criteria and healthy controls in conjunction with the Cleveland Clinic Lupus Cohort and Clinical Research Unit. We analyzed serum sex hormone levels by ELISA, and frequencies of pDCs, MDSCs, and LDGs among PBMCs and serum cytokine levels by flow cytometry. PBMCs were further analyzed for expression of genes involved in or induced by toll-like receptor (TLR)7 or TLR9 stimulation. In all SLE patients, the serum estradiol/testosterone ratio and levels of granulocytic MDSCs and LDGs were increased, while levels of pDCs were decreased. Furthermore, pDCs from active SLE patients expressed lower levels of TLR7 and TLR9 and showed diminished production of TLR9-induced IFNα and TNFα as compared to healthy controls. LDGs from healthy controls and SLE patients expressed very low levels of TLR7 and TLR9 and largely failed to respond to TLR9 stimulation. Thus, regardless of sex and sex-hormone levels, frequencies of pDCs, MDSCs and LDGs, TLR7 and TLR9 expression, and TLR9-driven cytokine production were similarly altered in male and female SLE patients.

Cardiovascular Manifestations, Imaging, and Outcomes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: An Eight-Year Single Center Experience in the United States.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a challenging autoimmune and multi-system condition. With advances in cardiovascular screening and therapies for SLE patients, we evaluated the cardiovascular characteristics, multi-modality imaging, and outcomes of SLE at our tertiary referral center over an 8 year period. Consecutive patients from our SLE registry from April 2012 to March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Data pertaining to cardiovascular manifestations, investigations, management, and outcomes were assessed. We studied 258 SLE patients (mean age 42.2 ± 14.7 years); 233 (90.3%) were female. The main cardiac manifestations at index SLE clinic were pericardial disease in 33.3%, valve disease in 18%, cardiomyopathy in 9.6%, and stroke in 7.4%. During a mean follow-up of 3.0 ± 2.2 years after index SLE clinic, there were 5 (1.9%) deaths, 24 (9.3%) cardiovascular events, and 44 (17.1%) SLE-related hospitalizations. A history of stroke and hypertension were independently associated with cardiovascular events, hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence intervals (CI)) of 5.38 (1.41-20.6) and 3.31 (1.02-10.7), respectively, while younger age and lower albumin predicted SLE-related hospitalizations. Cardiovascular manifestations are prevalent in SLE, especially for pericardial, valvular, and atherosclerotic diseases. With contemporary SLE and cardiovascular management, subsequent adverse cardiovascular events were infrequent in this study.

Paediatric asthma education: Implementation of video-based education for families.

AIM: To understand the impact of an asthma education video resource introduced to the short stay unit (SSU) of a tertiary paediatric hospital on: (i) parental understanding of and confidence in managing their child's asthma; (ii) the impact of this resource on nurse-led education practices; and (iii) readmission rates. METHODS: A mixed methods study was conducted in the SSU over an 18-month period using quantitative survey data from parents and nursing staff and qualitative data from nursing staff focus groups. RESULTS: Of 117 parents surveyed, 94% reported an increase in their understanding of asthma. Following the introduction of the resource, there were fewer nurse-led education sessions delivered (1.91 vs. 1.54, P = 0.04) and a trend towards reduction in time spent delivering this education (27.24 vs. 24.98 min, P = 0.47). Nursing staff confidence in the family's understanding of asthma education was similar pre- and post-implementation (4.22 vs. 4.30, P = 0.97). Readmission rates dropped by 25% (readmissions within 1 month) and by 33.3% (readmission within a week) in the post-intervention cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Our asthma education video resource was demonstrated to be an acceptable and effective way of delivering asthma education to families. It created efficiency and consistency for nursing education and practice in our SSU. This resource was viewed by nursing staff as a useful adjunct to their education, enabling consistent messaging and helping structure education delivery. It has been incorporated into hospital systems and national resources which we hope will translate to a reduction in burden of asthma across the community.

Utilization of glucocorticoids among White and Black patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Observations from the enrollment visit of a prospective registry.

BACKGROUND: Black patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) face higher rates of morbidity and mortality compared to White patients. Long-term glucocorticoid use has been associated with worse health outcomes among patients with SLE. We sought to quantify chronic glucocorticoid use among Black and White patients with SLE within a prospective registry. METHODS: Using enrollment data from a registry at a large academic institution, we compared glucocorticoid use among Black and White patients with SLE. Multivariable logistic regression of race and glucocorticoid use was performed, adjusting for covariates exhibiting a bivariate association with glucocorticoids at significance level p < 0.10. RESULTS: 114 White participants (mean age 45; standard deviation (SD) 15) and 59 Black participants (mean age 42; SD 14) were analyzed. White participants had mean SLEDAI-2K score of 3.7 (SD 5.2). Black participants had mean SLEDAI-2K scores of 6.3 (SD 6.0). Among Black participants, 43 (72%) utilized glucocorticoids compared to White participants 39 (34%) (unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 5.17; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.59-10.33). We did not observe differences between unadjusted hydroxychloroquine (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.28-1.65) or conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (cDMARD) (OR 1.07; 95% CI 0.57-2.01) utilization among Black and White participants. SLEDAI-2K, disability, recent hospitalization, and past or present hydroxychloroquine or cDMARD use were included in a logistic regression model. Adjusting for covariates, Black participants were more likely to be on glucocorticoids (adjusted OR 5.69; 95% CI 2.17-14.96); p = 0.0004). CONCLUSION: Adjusting for disease activity and other medications, Black patients had more exposure to chronic glucocorticoids than White patients in the Cleveland Clinic SLE registry. These patients may face increased glucocorticoid-related morbidity, which could contribute significantly to long-term health outcomes and utilization of health care resources. Future research in larger, more diverse registries should be conducted to further characterize patterns of glucocorticoid use.

Keeping lupus patients on hydroxychloroquine during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is in short supply as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, presenting a challenge to rheumatologists to ensure their patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) continue to take this essential drug. HCQ is the only SLE treatment shown to increase survival and any change in the HCQ regimen is potentially dangerous. Changes in the HCQ regimen should be made jointly with the patient after a discussion of the available evidence and expert opinion and the patient's preferences. Providers need to make thoughtful, informed decisions in this time of medication shortage.

Hydroxychloroquine use in the COVID-19 patient.

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has multiple potential antiviral mechanisms of action that differ according to the pathogen studied (eg, Chikungunya, Dengue virus, human immunodeficiency virus, poliovirus, Zika virus). Data on HCQ for treatment of COVID-19 are rapidly evolving. To date, there is no evidence from randomized controlled trials that HCQ, or any single therapy, improves outcomes in patients infected with COVID-19. There are also no clinical trial data supporting prophylactic HCQ therapy in COVID-19. Use of HCQ in patients with COVID-19 is being investigated for prophylaxis, postexposure prophylaxis, and treatment.

Pregnancy and rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects women of childbearing age. Fertility, family planning, control of disease activity and birth outcomes are all important issues to be discussed at preconception counseling. New data has offered insight on trends of fertility, disease control during pregnancy, and birth outcomes. This chapter provides an updated overview on expected disease course and management issues at each juncture with a particular focus on maintenance of tight disease control.

Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory arthritis, and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Primary care providers should be able to distinguish the clinical presentation of rheumatoid arthritis from osteoarthritis, because the treatment and outcomes differ greatly between these 2 common forms of arthritis. This article provides a current overview of our understanding of rheumatoid arthritis, with an emphasis on early diagnosis and approaches to treatment.

Attitude and Behavior Factors Associated with Front-of-Package Label Use with Label Users Making Accurate Product Nutrition Assessments.

BACKGROUND: Front-of-package (FOP) labels are increasing in popularity on retail products. Reductive FOP labels provide nutrient-specific information, whereas evaluative FOP labels summarize nutrient information through icons. Better understanding of consumer behavior regarding FOP labels is beneficial to increasing consumer use of nutrition labeling when making grocery purchasing decisions. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine FOP label format effectiveness in aiding consumers at assessing nutrient density of food products. In addition, we sought to determine relationships between FOP label use and attitude toward healthy eating, diet self-assessment, self-reported health and nutrition knowledge, and label and shopping behaviors. DESIGN: A between-subjects experimental design was employed. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four label conditions: Facts Up Front, Facts Up Front Extended, a binary symbol, and no-label control. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: One hundred sixty-one US primary grocery shoppers, aged 18 to 69 years. Participants were randomly invited to the online study. INTERVENTION: Participants in one of four label condition groups viewed three product categories (cereal, dairy, and snacks) with corresponding questions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adults' nutrition assessment of food products based on different FOP label formats, along with label use and attitude toward healthy eating, diet self-assessment, self-reported health and nutrition knowledge, and label and shopping behaviors. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Data analyses included descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and logistical regression. Significant outcomes were set to α=.05. RESULTS: Participants selected the more nutrient-dense product in the snack food category when it contained an FOP label. Subjective health and nutrition knowledge and frequency of selecting food for healthful reasons were associated with FOP label use (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Both Facts Up Front (reductive) and binary (evaluative) FOP labels appear effective for nutrition assessment of snack products compared with no label. Specific attitude and behavior factors were associated with label use.

Pregnancy and autoimmune connective tissue diseases.

Autoimmune connective tissue diseases predominantly affect women and often occur during the reproductive years. Thus, specialized issues in pregnancy planning and management are commonly encountered in this patient population. This chapter provides a current overview of pregnancy as a risk factor for onset of autoimmune disease, considerations related to the course of pregnancy in several autoimmune connective tissue diseases, and disease management and medication issues before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and in the postpartum period. A major theme that has emerged across these inflammatory diseases is that active maternal disease during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and that maternal and fetal health can be optimized when conception is planned during times of inactive disease and through maintaining treatment regimens compatible with pregnancy.