Background: Self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions assesses the confidence a person has on the ability of successfully perform specific tasks related to a chronic condition in several different situations. Self-efficacy is considered one of the most important modifiable factors in educational interventions that enhance Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients’ mental health status. Low disease self-efficacy is associated with SLE morbidity. Objectives: To determine the association of several domains of self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in SLE patients.

Background: Self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions assesses the confidence a person has on the ability of successfully perform specific tasks related to a chronic condition in several different situations. Self-efficacy is considered one of the most important modifiable factors in educational interventions that enhance Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) patients’ mental health status. Low disease self-efficacy is associated with SLE morbidity. Objectives: To determine the association of several domains of self-efficacy for managing chronic conditions and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in SLE patients.

Background: Because most patients with SLE are in their productive-age years, the ability to maintain a gainful employment is fundamental for both, the patient and society at large. It is thus quite important to determine the work and non-work factors that are associated with work productivity impairment in these patients. Objectives: To determine the factors associated with absenteeism (percentage of the time missed from scheduled work-time over the preceding 7 days, due to SLE), presenteeism (percentage of time from scheduled work-time where productivity was impaired while patient was at work, over the preceding 7 days, due to SLE) and overall work impairment (combination of absenteeism and presenteeism) in patients with SLE.

Background: Because most patients with SLE are in their productive-age years, the ability to maintain a gainful employment is fundamental for both, the patient and society at large. It is thus quite important to determine the work and non-work factors that are associated with work productivity impairment in these patients. Objectives: To determine the factors associated with absenteeism (percentage of the time missed from scheduled work-time over the preceding 7 days, due to SLE), presenteeism (percentage of time from scheduled work-time where productivity was impaired while patient was at work, over the preceding 7 days, due to SLE) and overall work impairment (combination of absenteeism and presenteeism) in patients with SLE.

Introduction. Lupus patients have an increased risk of developing infections due to the disease, use of immunosuppressants and corticosteroids. Objective. To identify the associated factors for serious infections in lupus patients in a national referral hospital. Retrospective, analytical, case-control study in the Rheumatology Service of the Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen National Hospital, Lima, Peru. Methods. The registry of hospitalized patients in the study period was analyzed, the cases were patients in whom the etiology of the first infection developed their hospitalization. Controls were hospitalized lupus patients without infections in the same study period. Variables predisposing to the development of infections were analyzed. Results. 61 patients out of 390 hospitalized developed infections during their hospitalization. 48 developed 1 only infectious event (in 40 an etiology deve...

Introducción: La Artritis Reumatoide (AR) tiene adversas consecuencias en la salud su diagnóstico temprano y manejo óptimo requiere recomendaciones basadas en evidencia de alta calidad adaptadas a cada sistema de salud. Objetivo: Proveer recomendaciones clínicas basadas en evidencia para el diagnóstico y manejo inicial de la AR. Material y Métodos: Se conformó un grupo elaborador de la guía (GEG) que incluyó médicos especialistas y metodólogos. El GEG formuló 10 preguntas clínicas a ser respondidas por la presente GPC. Se realizaron búsquedas sistemáticas de la evidencia publicada en PubMed y CENTRAL entre diciembre 2017 a julio 2019 (revisiones sistemáticas y –cuando fue considerado pertinente– estudios primarios). Se seleccionó la evidencia de mayor calidad para responder cada una de las preguntas clínicas planteadas. La certeza de la evidencia fue evaluada usando...

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) has adverse health consequences, its early diagnosis and optimal management require recommendations based on high quality evidence adapted to each health system. Objective: To provide evidence-based clinical recommendations for the diagnosis and initial management of RA. Material and Methods: A Guideline Development Group (GDG) was established, including medical specialists and methodologists. The GDG formulated 10 clinical questions to be answered by this CPG. Systematic searches of published evidence in PubMed and CENTRAL were performed during December 2017 and July 2019 (including systematic reviews and -when it was considered pertinent- primary studies) were conducted. The evidence of the highest quality for answering each of the posed clinical questions was selected. The quality of the evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations ...

Objective: To determine the impact of homocysteine levels on damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in consecutive patients seen every 6 months at our Rheumatology Department since 2012. Patients with available homocysteine levels and who had at least one subsequent visit were included. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were done to determine if homocysteine levels were predictive of damage accrual as per the SLICC Damage Index (SDI). The multivariable model was adjusted for pertinent variables (age at diagnosis, gender, socioeconomic status, disease duration, disease activity (SLEDAI), Framingham score, antimalarial and immunosuppressive drug use, average daily dose, and exposure time to prednisone (PDN)). Results: One hundred forty-five patients were included; their mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 4...

Objective: To determine the impact of homocysteine levels on damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Methods: This longitudinal study was conducted in consecutive patients seen every 6 months at our Rheumatology Department since 2012. Patients with available homocysteine levels and who had at least one subsequent visit were included. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were done to determine if homocysteine levels were predictive of damage accrual as per the SLICC Damage Index (SDI). The multivariable model was adjusted for pertinent variables (age at diagnosis, gender, socioeconomic status, disease duration, disease activity (SLEDAI), Framingham score, antimalarial and immunosuppressive drug use, average daily dose, and exposure time to prednisone (PDN)). Results: One hundred forty-five patients were included; their mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 4...