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.

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.

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...

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...