Abstract

ARTEAGA COARITI, Raúl; CHACON YUCRA, Patricia  and  URQUIZO AYALA, Guillermo. INCIDENCE OF INFECTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN CORTICOSTEROID AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE TREATMENT. Rev. Méd. La Paz [online]. 2021, vol.27, n.1, pp.28-37. ISSN 1726-8958.

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, which requires pharmacological treatment for a very long time. It is prescribed for its treatment drugs with anti-inflammatory capacity and potential immunosuppressive effect. With these drugs patients present lower inflammatory intensity, but at the same time there is a risk of infectious processes, these being an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Objective To analyze the risk of infection with corticosteroid vs. immunosuppressive treatment in chronic therapy in patients with rheumtaoid arthritis. Material and methods Analytical, observational, retrospective study, with selection by intention, uncontrolled, cohort, with study of risk, incidence and cross association, carried out in the Rheumatology Service of the Hospital de Clínicas, La Paz, Bolivia, in patients who were diagnosed with RA between the 2010 - 2020 management, both in the outpatient clinic and the hospitalization room. Patients were selected with adults, both sexes, aged over 18 years, with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis according to ACR 2010 classification, CDAI clinimetry in degree of activity, with indication of associated treatment (corticoid + methoroxate or even addition of chloroquine / hydroxychloroquine) according to ACR/EULAR guidelines, which perform regular control (bi monthly). Results: The incidence of infectious processes associated with the use of prednisone with doses >7.5mg/day, after 6 months of treatment is 19.39% and 18.88% at 12 months. The incidence of infectious processes associated with the use of metotrexate (dose >12.5mg/week), is 12.76% at 6 months of treatment and 13.27% at 12 months. Conclusions In adult patients of both sexes, without associated risk factors, prolonged corticotherapy (Prednisone in doses greater than 7.5mg/day for more than 6 months of treatment) produces the development of infectious processes with greater frequency and severity than therapy with metotrexate even at intermediate-high dose (MTX >12.5mg / week).

Keywords : Immunosuppression; prolonged corticotherapy; rheumatoid arthritis.

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