Post - chikungunya chronic inflammatory rheumatism : results from a retrospective follow - up study of 283 adult and

There are limited studies in Latin America regarding the chronic Objective: consequences of the Chikungunya virus (CHIK), such as post-CHIK chronic inflammatory rheumatism (pCHIK-CIR). We assessed the largest cohort so far of pCHIK-CIR in Latin America, at the municipality of La Virginia, Risaralda, a new endemic area of CHIK in Colombia. We conducted a cohort retrospective study in Colombia of 283 Methods: patients diagnosed with CHIK that persisted with pCHIK-CIR after a minimum of 6 weeks and up to a maximum of 26.1 weeks. pCHIK cases were identified according to validated criteria via telephone. Of the total CHIK-infected subjects, 152 (53.7%) reported persistent Results: rheumatological symptoms (pCHIK-CIR). All of these patients reported joint pains (chronic polyarthralgia, pCHIK-CPA), 49.5% morning stiffness, 40.6% joint edema, and 16.6% joint redness. Of all patients, 19.4% required and attended for care prior to the current study assessment (1.4% consulting rheumatologists). Significant differences in the frequency were observed according to age groups and gender. Patients aged >40 years old required more medical attention (39.5%) than those ≤40 years-old (12.1%) (RR=4.748, 95%CI 2.550-8.840). According to our results, at least half of the patients with CHIK Conclusions: developed chronic rheumatologic sequelae, and from those with pCHIK-CPA, nearly half presented clinical symptoms consistent with inflammatory forms of 1-4 1