Characterization and Gelling Potential of Macroalgae Extracts Obtained Through Eco-Friendly Technologies for Food-Grade Gelled Matrices.

The growing demand for sustainable and nutrient-rich food sources has positioned macroalgae as a promising alternative for food product development. This study investigates the extraction and characterization of hydrocolloids from three red macroalgae species (, , and ) using water bath (WB), ultrasound (US), and hybrid ultrasound-water bath (USWB) treatments for 45 and 60 min. The physicochemical properties of the extracts, including rheological behavior, particle size distribution, antioxidant activity, and texture, were assessed.

Can subcutaneous treprostinil be an alternative for treating pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease?

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is one of the most feared complications of systemic sclerosis (SSc). There are currently specific drugs approved for PH group I (pulmonary arterial hypertension - PAH), but for PH related to lung disease (group III) the use of vasodilators is still controversial and not routinely recommended in patients with non-severe PH. However, SSc-PH-interstitial lung disease (ILD) has a poorer survival compared with SSc-PAH, making the management of these patients a challenge, ideally carried out in a reference centre.

Effectiveness of switching between TNF inhibitors in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: is the reason to switch relevant?

Background: To investigate whether the reason to discontinue the first TNF inhibitor (TNFi) affects the response to the second TNFi in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods: Patients with axSpA from the Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Register (ReumaPt), who discontinued their first TNFi and started the second TNFi between June 2008 and May 2018, were included. Response was assessed by the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) clinically important improvement (ASDAS-CII), major important improvement (ASDAS-MI), low disease activity (ASDAS-LDA), and inactive disease (ASDAS-ID).

Eligibility criteria for biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in axial spondyloarthritis: going beyond BASDAI.

Objectives: To compare definitions of high disease activity of the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) in selecting patients for treatment with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs).

Methods: Patients from Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Register (Reuma.pt) with a clinical diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were included.

Antifibrotics in interstitial lung disease related to connective tissue diseases - a paradigm shift in treatment and outcome.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) and the treatments available until nowadays are in most cases unable to halt disease progression. CTD-ILD pathogenesis includes an initial inflammatory phase, followed by a fibrotic phase, in which extracellular matrix proteins are produced and fibrotic scaring tissue within the lung develops. Steroids and immunosuppressants are the weapons we currently have to treat CTD-ILD.

Safety of Etanercept in the treatment of rheumatic disease patients with Hepatitis C virus infection.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health problem. Because Tumour Necrosis Factor (TNF) seems to have an important role in immune response to HCV infection, suppression by TNFi (TNF inhibitors) may pose a potential worsening of chronic HCV infection. We report our experience with 3 cases of patients with chronic HCV infection and advanced liver disease, with different Rheumatic diseases, treated with a TNFi, etanercept (ETN), for a period ranging from 4 months to 4 years without hepatitis C treatment and, in two of them, concomitant therapy with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) and afterwards.

PORTUGUESE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE USE OF BIOLOGICAL THERAPIES IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS--2015 UPDATE.

Objective: To update recommendations for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis with biological therapies, endorsed by the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology (SPR).

Methods: These treatment recommendations were formulated by Portuguese rheumatologists based on literature evidence and consensus opinion. At a national meeting the 16 recommendations included in this document were discussed and updated.

[Practical guide for the use of biological agents in rheumatoid arthritis - December 2011 update].

The authors review the practical aspects of biological therapy use for rheumatoid arthritis patients, commenting safety issues before and after treatment initiation and the best treatment strategies to optimize efficacy.

Biologicals and switch in rheumatoid arthritis throughout time - are we being more aggressive?

Objectives: To investigate the switches performed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis under biological therapy and specifically comparing the switches from earlier days with more recent switches.

Patients And Methods: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis under biological therapy followed at Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, and included in the Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Register (Reuma.Pt) were included in this study.

Cardiovascular risk profile in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis: a comparative study of female patients.

Objective: Premature atherosclerosis is well-documented both in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients, but cardiovascular (CV) risk is particularly high in lupus women. Although conventional CV risk factors do not fully explain the excessive risk in inflammatory diseases, they remain major contributors to atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether CV risk factors are differentially associated with SLE and RA.

Predictors of damage progression in Portuguese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a longer life expectancy. The occurrence of irreversible damage has become a major concern. The present study assessed damage progression in patients with SLE over a 2-year period and identified baseline features associated with damage accrual.

[Flexibilization of infliximab dose interval in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis].

Objective: The aim of this study was to access the maintenance of therapeutic response in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) receiving infliximab, after prolongation of the interval between infusions.

Material And Methods: In AS patients with sustained therapeutic response to infliximab administered every six weeks, a prolongation of the interval between infusions was proposed. The therapeutic response was evaluated using Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), pain, stiffness, patient's global evaluation and acute phase reactants (ESR and CPR).

[Systemic lupus erythematosus and weakness].

We report a case of a 13-year old young girl, with Juvenile Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and recent onset of muscle weakness. Investigations lead to the diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis. The most important causes of muscle weakness in lupus patients are discussed.