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This rapid evidence assessment (REA) was conducted to explore the burden of weight-bearing joint osteoarthritis in the developing countries of Latin America. REA methodology used a standardized search strategy to identify observational studies published from 2010 to 23 April 2020 that reported outcomes pertaining to the epidemiology and humanistic or economic burden of weight-bearing osteoarthritis. Relevant data from each included study were used to populate bespoke data extraction tables and qualitatively analyzed. Thirteen publications were identified that reported on knee and hip osteoarthritis in the Latin American region. Overall prevalence of physician-diagnosed symptomatic knee osteoarthritis in adults ranged from 1.55% in Peru to 7.4% in Ecuador. Total prevalence of grade ≥ 2 radiographic knee osteoarthritis was 22% among those ≥ 39 years of age in Brazil and 25.5% among those ≥ 40 years of age in Mexico. The prevalence of symptomatic/radiographic knee osteoarthritis was 7.1% in people ≥ 18 years of age in Mexico and 17.6% among those ≥ 40 years of age. Prevalence of hip osteoarthritis was similar to or slightly lower than knee osteoarthritis. The limited data available indicates weight-bearing osteoarthritis negatively affects quality of life and that the economic burden may vary between countries with different healthcare systems. The limited evidence found in the published literature suggests the burden of osteoarthritis in Latin America is substantial. Our analysis identified several evidence gaps, particularly for health-related quality of life and socioeconomic outcomes. Further research is of particular importance in areas where government-subsidized healthcare and resources are scarce., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: We assessed the external validity of composite indices Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Assessment in SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) 40 response (ASAS40) by evaluating the correlations between the changes in some patient reported outcomes (PROs) for patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and the changes in the scores of the composite indices., Methods: This was a post-hoc analysis of data from the EMBARK study in patients with nr-axSpA treated with etanercept. PROs were grouped according to ASDAS status (inactive [< 1.3], low [≥ 1.3 to < 2.1], high [≥ 2.1 to ≤3.5], and very high [> 3.5]), patient achievement of > 50% improvement in BASDAI (BASDAI50 responders), and > 40% improvement in ASAS (ASAS40 responders) at 104 weeks. Analyses were conducted on observed cases available at Week 104. Changes in PROs from Baseline to Week 104 were assessed using analysis of covariance with adjustment for baseline with linear contrast., Results: Higher ASDAS disease activity at 104 weeks was associated with lower long-term improvement from baseline in PROs (e.g., total back pain [visual analog scale, cm (95% confidence interval): - 4.58 (- 4.95, - 4.21), - 3.86 (- 4.28, - 3.43), - 2.15 (- 2.68, - 1.61), and 1.30 (- 0.51, 3.12) for inactive, low, high, and very high ASDAS disease activity, respectively; Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) general fatigue: - 4.77 (- 5.70, - 3.84), - 2.96 (- 4.04, - 1.87), - 1.00 (- 2.32, 0.31), and 2.14 (- 2.10, 6.38); all p < 0.001)]. BASDAI50 non-responders had less improvement in PROs from Baseline to Week 104 vs. responders (e.g., total back pain: - 1.61 (- 2.05, - 1.18) vs. -4.43 (- 4.69, - 4.18); MFI general fatigue: - 0.01 (- 1.12, 1.09) vs. -4.30 (- 4.98, - 3.62); all p < 0.001). ASAS40 non-responders also had less improvement in PROs from Baseline to Week 104 vs. responders (e.g., total back pain: - 1.91 (- 2.30, - 1.52) vs. -4.75 (- 5.05, - 4.46); MFI general fatigue: - 0.63 (- 1.56, 0.30) vs. -4.64 (- 5.37, - 3.91); all p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Composite indices are valid for monitoring treatment response and adequately reflect treatment-related changes experienced by patients with nr-axSpA., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01258738. Registered 9 December 2010.

Objective: To assess the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in the joints of patients with reactive arthritis (ReA) and other arthritides., Methods: DNA was prepared from synovial tissue (ST) and several synovial fluid (SF) samples from 188 patients with either ReA, undifferentiated oligoarthritis, or other forms of arthritis, and from 24 normal (non-arthritis) individuals. Preparations were screened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays that independently targeted the C. pneumoniae 16S ribosomal RNA and major outer membrane protein genes., Results: Twenty-seven of 212 ST samples (12.7%) were PCR positive for C. pneumoniae DNA; 10 SF samples from these 27 patients were similarly positive. Among the PCR-positive patients, 3 had ReA, 2 had Reiter's syndrome, 7 had undifferentiated oligoarthritis, 4 had undifferentiated monarthritis, 6 had rheumatoid arthritis, and 5 had other forms of arthritis. No samples from normal control individuals were PCR positive., Conclusion: DNA of C pneumoniae is present in synovial specimens from some arthritis patients. The prevalence of this organism in the joints was lower than that of C trachomatis, and synovial presence of the organism was not associated with any distinct clinical syndrome. Widely disseminated nucleic acids such as those of C. pneumoniae might have some role in the pathogenesis of several arthritides, since the organism was not found in the ST from normal control individuals.

Septic arthritis is an unusual complication of Sporothrix schenckii infection. Its diagnosis can be very difficult, mainly because of low clinical suspicion, special media needed for its culture, and low density of the organism in biopsy specimens. We present a case of a woman with disseminated Sporothrix schenckii infection and polyarthritis. Although rare, this wide dissemination of fungus and polyarthritis occurred in an initially immunocompetent patient. Steroid therapy given for suspected vasculitis might have worsened her condition.

Percutaneous needle biopsies of synovium are successfully used for diagnosis and investigation of joint disease by an increasing number of groups around the world. This procedure can be done in the office with little morbidity; a large number of samples can minimize the potential limitation of sampling error. Clinical indications for 'imaging the joint' by looking at morphological and other features of the actual tissue include undiagnosed acute or chronic mono- or oligoarthritis, haemarthrosis, suspected deposition diseases, new developments in previous stable disease and less often unexplained polyarthritis. Research into any joint disease can be helped by study of synovium especially using newer immunohistochemical, EM and molecular techniques. This report has reviewed other methods used for obtaining synovium, described the different percutaneous biopsy needles, detailed the methods used for biopsy with the Parker-Pearson needle and described how our group handles tissue so as to obtain maximal impact. The very few side effects of needle biopsy include haemarthrosis and, rarely, needle breakage. Finally, we have provided a brief overview of normal synovium and some aspects of synovium in a variety of joint diseases.

Subcutaneous tophaceous deposits of monosodium urate, in the absence of arthritis, may occasionally occur as the initial manifestation of gout. In this report, we describe a 35-year-old man who presented with a 6-year history of multiple subcutaneous nodules and no history of previous articular complaints. Needle aspirations of the nodules proved them to be deposits of monosodium urate. A literature search revealed 28 other cases with a similar presentation. We propose the term "gout nodulosis" as a clinical entity at one end of the spectrum of gout to describe this group of patients.