ARP Rheumatology

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Portugal
Lisbon
ARP Rheumatology

The official journal of the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology (). Indexed to PubMed. Both basic research and clinical papers may be submitted.

ARP Rheumatology succeeds Acta Reumatológica Portuguesa, originally founded in 1973 as the official journal of the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology. It is a scientific double-blinded peer-reviewed and open-access journal devoted to progress in the research, diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. The journal aims at serving the interest of both practising clinicians an

d research workers. Editorials, short communications and review articles covering recent developments are included. Controversial techniques and issues on health policy are frequently discussed and serve as tools for encouraging debate. It also concerns about guidelines and clinical protocols related to the practice of rheumatology. The submission has no fees and all articles are available for free.

06/10/2025

📢 New case report in EGPA (Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis)

A 46-year-old man with ANCA-negative EGPA and multi-organ involvement (lungs, PNS, joints) required several therapeutic adjustments over the years.

✅ Mepolizumab successfully controlled respiratory disease but arthritis persisted.
✅ Addition of rituximab led to significant joint improvement and steroid tapering.

This case adds to the limited evidence (only six prior reports) supporting combined mepolizumab + rituximab in complex, treatment-resistant EGPA.

🤝 Highlights the need for tailored, multi-targeted approaches in refractory vasculitis.

Read here: https://www.arprheumatology.com/section.php?id=1779

02/10/2025

📢 Did you know? Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) doesn’t just affect the joints.

A new review highlights that otologic manifestations such as hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, and Ménière’s disease are relatively common in RA.
➡️ Hearing loss affects ~16% of RA patients, with a significantly higher risk than in the general population.

🤝 Collaboration between rheumatologists and ENT specialists is key.
✅ Early recognition can prevent complications and improve quality of life.

Read more here: https://www.arprheumatology.com/section.php?id=1775

30/09/2025

✨ Celebrating 5 years of progress at ARP Rheumatology (2020–2025) ✨

The new editorial in ARP Rheumatology looks back on a transformative five years for the official journal of the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology.

📖 From its origins as Acta Reumatológica Portuguesa to the successful transition to ARP Rheumatology in 2022, the journal has embraced change with a new name, website, submission system, and enhanced international visibility.

🌍 Key milestones:

309 articles published across 22 quarterly issues + annual congress supplements

Expansion from predominantly Portuguese authorship to nearly half of articles now from international colleagues

36% faster time from submission to online publication

Stronger integration with Reuma.pt, with 20 publications based on registry data

Increased presence on social media (X, Facebook, LinkedIn)

💡 ARP Rheumatology continues to be a trusted open-access platform — free for authors, rigorous in science, and growing in impact.

Congratulations to the editorial team, the Sociedade Portuguesa de Reumatologia and all contributors who shaped this journey. The next five years look even brighter!

Read the editorial here 👉https://www.arprheumatology.com/section.php?id=1769

23/09/2025

✨ Editor’s Choice – ARP Rheumatology ✨

Selected by Editor-in-Chief Professor Tânia Santiago, this month’s highlights bring forward important new insights:

🔹 PORTRESS – the first nationwide registry for Sjögren’s disease in Portugal 🇵🇹
🔹 Cervical CPPD – recognizing a diverse and often misdiagnosed spectrum with potential for severe complications
🔹 ASAS definition of difficult-to-manage & treatment-refractory axSpA – first real-world application and insights

📖 All articles are available FREE at 👉 https://www.arprheumatology.com

22/09/2025

📢Online first: “Vanishing hips” in an ultra-rare Gorham–Stout syndrome case

🔸A 54-year-old woman had 2 years of worsening hip pain and limited gait. 🔸X-ray, CT and MRI revealed resorption of both femoral heads with acetabular dysplasia
🔸 GSS remains a diagnosis of exclusion

🔗https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1605

20/09/2025

📢Online first

🌿 What does “difficult-to-manage axial spondyloarthritis” mean?

A new definition from international experts (ASAS) helps doctors identify patients with difficult-to-manage (D2M) or treatment-refractory (TR) axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

👥 In a recent study including 207 people with axSpA:

Only 2.9% met the criteria for D2M axSpA
Only 1.4% met the criteria for TR axSpA

Why so few? Because the definition requires patients to have tried at least 2 different advanced treatments (biologics/targeted therapies) with different modes of action, in addition to having ongoing inflammation and symptoms that both the patient and doctor see as problematic.

👉 The good news: most people with axSpA respond to treatment and don’t fall into these categories.

🔗https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1601

18/09/2025

🦴 Calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease is a common crystal arthritis in older adults. While it usually causes joint pain and inflammation, it can also affect the cervical spine — a presentation that is often overlooked.

👉 Cervical CPPD may appear in many ways:
• Incidental chondrocalcinosis on imaging
• Crowned dens syndrome
• Retro-odontoid pseudotumor
• Inflammatory discitis

⚠️ These conditions can mimic infection, cancer, or degenerative disease, leading to misdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments.

🔎 Diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion supported by imaging:

CT is best for detecting calcifications

MRI helps assess soft tissue masses, cord compression, or disc changes

💊 Treatment is mainly symptomatic (NSAIDs, colchicine, glucocorticoids), with surgery reserved for severe neurological complications.

🚨 Key message: Awareness of cervical CPPD is crucial to ensure timely, targeted care and to avoid unnecessary antibiotics or invasive procedures.

🔗https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1603

15/09/2025

📢 Online first

🔎 Real-world evidence on guselkumab in psoriatic arthritis (PsA)

Clinical trials have shown guselkumab to be effective in PsA, but data from everyday practice are still limited. Our new retrospective study across three medical centers followed 70 PsA patients treated with guselkumab for at least 12 months.

✨ What we found:
✅ Significant improvement in disease activity scores (DAS28, DAPSA, MASES, ASDAS) after 12 months
🔒 Retention rate: 79% (most discontinuations were due to inefficacy)
⚠️ No major safety issues were observed
📊 Baseline characteristics did not predict who stopped treatment

👉 Conclusion: Guselkumab showed strong real-world effectiveness, safety, and good treatment persistence in PsA, supporting its role as a valuable therapeutic option. Longer prospective studies will help confirm these outcomes.

🔗 https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1600

12/09/2025

📢 New study – Online First

A large cross-sectional analysis of over 10,700 participants from the U.S. NHANES survey explored how diet impacts bone health.

🔸 Diets with high inflammatory potential (measured by the Dietary Inflammatory Index, DII) and low antioxidant intake (measured by the Dietary Oxidative Balance Score, DOBS) were linked to a significantly higher risk of osteoporosis.

👩 In women, those in the high-risk dietary group had more than 2.7 times greater odds of osteoporosis.

👨 In men, no significant association was found.

👉 These findings highlight the importance of dietary patterns in bone health and prevention strategies, especially for women. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these associations.

🔗https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1598

10/09/2025

📢 Letter to the Editor – Online First

A patient with pemphigus foliaceus developed an unusual presentation:
👉 Hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis (HUV) without urticaria.

🧪 Workup showed:

Low complement (C3, C4)
Thrombocytopenia
Hepatomegaly
➡️ Diagnosis: B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder

⚠️ Key message: In patients with autoimmune disease, vasculitic skin lesions may be a clue to underlying malignancy.

📖 Read the full case online first:
🔗 https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1602

08/09/2025

📢 New Case Report – Online First in ARP Rheumatology

🔎 A 42-year-old woman with chronic kidney disease and tertiary hyperparathyroidism presented with sacroiliac erosions on CT, initially suggestive of sacroiliitis. However, in the absence of inflammatory back pain, the changes were attributed to metabolic bone disease.

⚠️ Hyperparathyroidism can closely mimic spondyloarthritis on imaging, highlighting the importance of careful differential diagnosis.

👉 Read the full case, now online first:
🔗 https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1602

24/07/2025

📋 Systemic Sclerosis Impact: Now Validated in Portuguese!
How reliable is the EULAR ScleroID for Portuguese patients with SSc?
A validation study with 53 patients shows the Portuguese ScleroID is a feasible, reliable, and valid tool to measure disease impact — with strong psychometric properties and clinical relevance.

🧪 High internal consistency
📊 Valid construct structure
✅ No floor/ceiling effects

🔗 Read more: https://www.arprheumatology.com/article_abstract.php?id=1587

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