title: Chikungunya infection in the general population and in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on biological therapy.
abstract: Chikungunya infection is a febrile illness, which currently is afflicting the Caribbean islands including the Dominican Republic. We would like to report our experience with Chikungunya-related musculoskeletal manifestations in our arthritis clinics in the Dominican Republic. A total of 514 patients presented for the first time to our arthritis clinic exhibiting musculoskeletal manifestations, 473/514 (92%) exhibiting symmetric polyarthralgias, 344/514 (67%) arthritis, and 385 (75%) skin rash. The great majority 457.46 (89%) exhibited very good clinical response to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), 370 (72%) require low-dose steroids, and only 5 patients (0.97%) required methotrexate therapy. In addition, of a total of 328 patients with rheumatoid arthritis on biological treatment, 53 exhibited Chikungunya-related musculoskeletal manifestations; 51/53 (96.2%) exhibited symmetric polyarthralgias, 25/53 (47.1%) arthritis, and 13/53 (24.5%) tendinopathy. Of most patients, 51/53 responded to NSAIDs, of which, 23 patients only responded partially, and in total 25 (47.1%) required low-dose steroids. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy including biologics remained unchanged in this population.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Docente Padre Billini, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, violeta.rosario@gmail.com.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rosario
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Munoz-Louis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Valdez
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adames
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Medrano
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Paulino
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alba-Fériz
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D001691:Biological Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004293:Dominican Republic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D013256:Steroids; D008727:Methotrexate