109 Rev Bras Reumatol 2011;51(2):109-112 In this volume, the article Brazilian Biologic Registry: BiobadaBrasil implementation process and preliminary, the authors described the implementation of the registry “Monitoring the Brazilian Registry of Biological Therapies in Rheumatic Diseases – BiobadaBrasil” promoted by the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology (BSR), and presented data from the first...

Despite remarkable advances in therapy, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) still results in significant morbidity, mortality, and disability [1]. In addition to symmetrical joint swelling of the feet and hands, large joints such as the shoulders, hips, knees, and cervical spine can be affected. RA also may affect the pulmonary, cardiovascular, and ocular systems. Rheumatoid factor is present in up to 80...

BACKGROUND Biologic therapies are widely used in inflammatory diseases, and they are associated to an increased infection risk, especially to granulomatous and intracellular infections such as Legionella. RESULTS A review of the literature revealed 105 cases of Legionella pneumonia in patients taking biologic therapies. Sixty-four patients (65.3%) were treated with infliximab, 23 (23.5%) with...

This paper reviews the new biologic agents that selectively block the immunologic steps implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Four strategies have been targeted: reduction of the number of pathogenic T cells; inhibition of T-cell activation and migration; modulation of the immune system; and blockage of the activity of inflammatory cytokines. There are three classes: monoclonal antibodie...

BACKGROUND Axial spondyloarthropathy typically has its onset in early adulthood and can impact significantly on quality of life. In the UK, biologic anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy is recommended for patients who are unresponsive to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. There remain several unresolved issues about the long-term safety and quality of life outcomes of biologic treatment in a...

Although biologics are important inflammatory bowel disease therapies, loss of response (LOR) remains problematic. We evaluated LOR to biologics in our Crohn disease (CD) patients receiving biologics. Of 137 biologic-treated CD patients, 68 continuously receiving the same biologic type for at least 1 year were divided into 2 groups: infliximab (IFX) (n = 39) and adalimumab (ADA) (n = 29). Clini...

In epidemiologic studies of two binary exposure factors, much attention has been given to the concept of synergism of the factors. The leading dictionary of epidemiology offers two definitions of synergism, one of which this author labels statistical and the other biologic. The epidemiologic literature has been largely concerned with statistical synergism, which is typically measured using addi...

An Bras Dermatol. 2017;92(4):584-95. Dear editor, Pemphigus is an autoimmune bullous disease that can affect the skin and mucous membranes, mediated by autoantibodies against desmosomal desmogleins, the main adhesion structures Marina Zoega Hayashida1 Jhonatan Rafael Siqueira Pinheiro1 Milvia Maria Simões e Silva Enokihara2 Mônica Ribeiro de Azevedo Vasconcellos1 t Biologic therapy-induced pemp...

Inefficient cellular delivery limits the landscape of macromolecular drugs. Boronic acids readily form boronate esters with the 1,2- and 1,3-diols of saccharides, such as those that coat the surface of mammalian cells. Here pendant boronic acids are shown to enhance the cytosolic delivery of a protein toxin. Thus, boronates are a noncationic carrier that can deliver a polar macromolecule into m...

We explore the boundary shared by biology and formal systems.