Description of a group of patients with antisynthetase syndrome in the department of rheumatology of the Hospital de Clinicas during the year 2014

Abstract

Introduction: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are a group of chronic autoimmune pathologies with protean clinical manifestations, whose hallmark is prominent muscular inflammation. Anti synthetase syndrome (ASS) is a subset within this group of diseases, associated with the presence of Anti synthetase antibodies (ASAb) as well as joint and lung involvement, with characteristic skin changes in the hands. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of ASS in the Rheumatology Service of the Hospital de Clínicas, during the period of January to November 2014 and to describe the main clinical characteristics of the Anti synthetase Syndrome. Materials and methods: This is a descriptive and retrospective study done through review of medical records of patients with IIM who consulted in the Department of Rheumatology of the Hospital de Clínicas during the study period. All patients who met the criteria for an IIM were included, emphasizing the diagnosis of Anti synthetase syndrome. Results: In 2014, 5418 consultations were registered, of which 28 patients were diagnosed with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. Twenty-two patients (70%) were female and 6 (21%) were male. Of the total number of cases, 14 (50%) presented an overlap syndrome, of which 4 /14 (29%) met the anti synthetase syndrome classification criteria. Conclusion: The prevalence of anti synthtetase syndrome cases in the Rheumatology Service was of 0.07%, being more frequent in women with an average age of 35 years. The predominant clinical manifestations were myositis, arthritis and acute or chronic pulmonary involvement.