Ihsane Hmamouchi

Université Internationale de Rabat

Biological therapy increases the risk of fungal infections in chronic inflammatory rheumatism patients. Objectives: To determine the incidence of fungal infections in spondyloarthritis patients on biotherapy in the Moroccan registry (RBSMR) during 3-year follow-up and to identify associated factors. Methods: Patients' socio-demographic, clinical an...

Objective To determine the occurrence of breakthrough COVID-19 infections (BIs) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with patients with other rheumatic autoimmune diseases (rAIDs), patients with non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs), and healthy controls (HCs). Methods The study was based on data from 7035 fully vaccin...

Introduction:Spondyloarthritis is a group of chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases that commonly affect young adults. The advent of biological background treatments has revolutionized the management of these conditions, although some patients may not respond adequately to these interventions. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of first biologic...

Notwithstanding the wealth of literature on COVID-19, studies focusing on young adults with autoimmune diseases (AD) are lacking. To determine early (within 7 days) and late (after 7 days) anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related adverse events (AEs), post-vaccine disease flares, COVID-19 severity and breakthrough infections (B-INFs) in young people with rh...

Background Obesity is a comorbidity that plays a role in the development and severity of inflammatory joint diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis (SpA). The relationships between obesity and adipose tissue and the treatments given for inflammatory joint diseases are bidirectional. Indertstand...

Background The treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has become standardized and targeted in the past decades, using novel disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs: biologic (bDMARDs) and targeted synthetic (tsDMARDs)), which resulted in a significant improvement in the disease prognosis. However, treatment patterns might vary...

Background Social media platforms have emerged as powerful tools in patient education and communication, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, they provide valuable data that can be leveraged to analyze the sentiment of social media interactions and posts. The Arab Adult Arthritis Awareness (AAAA) Group, a special interest group of the Arab...

Background Immunomodulating biological agents increase the risk of fungal infections in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatism, however, they have been more frequently described in rheumatoid arthritis. Objectives To determine the incidence of fungal infections in patients with spondyloarthritis on biotherapy in the Moroccan registry of bio...

Background Sustained remission is the primary therapeutic goal for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although several studies have identified factors associated with treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there are no precise predictive models for sustained remission in patients treated with biologic therapies. Objectives Evaluati...

Background Pain plays an essential role in therapeutic decision-making in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs). However, it may persist in patients in disease remission, thus impacting quality of life and leading to unnecessary escalation of therapy. Objectives Using the COVAD2 global database, we aimed to explore the self-reported pain landscape...

Background Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory arthritis and extra-articular involvement. Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) have modified the course of the disease in recent years by targeting pathogenic cytokines, thereby reducing inflammation and joint pain, and limiting struc...

Background Referral delay of patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRDs) to rheumatologists is one of the major obstacles to benefiting from the window of opportunity during the early disease phases. Timelines in Arab countries are poorly studied. Yet, differences in the healthcare systems and cultural backgrounds might drive refe...

Background While the acknowledgment of the significance of incorporating sex and gender considerations in health research is growing, the integration and evaluation of these factors remain a challenge. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate phenotypes related to gender within psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients and to investigate factors associate...

The Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID-12) questionnaire, a recommended measure of patient-reported impact for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), was initially developed in Europe and may lack universal validity. Recognizing the need for a culturally appropriate tool for Arab patients, this study aimed to TranslAte, CulTurally adapt, and validate...

The Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID-12) questionnaire, a recommended measure of patient-reported impact for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), was initially developed in Europe and may lack universal validity. Recognizing the need for a culturally appropriate tool for Arab patients, this study aimed to TranslAte, CulTurally adapt, and validate...

COVID-19 has been suggested as a possible trigger of disease flares in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, factors associated with disease flares remain unknown. This study aimed to identify factors associated with breakthrough infection (BIs) and disease flares in patients with RA following COVID-19. We analysed data from RA patients...

Objectives The primary aim of the CHANGE survey is to determine the current state of gender equity within rheumatology, and secondly to review the physician perspective on bullying, harassment, and equipoise of opportunities within rheumatology. Methods The CHANGE e-survey is a cross-sectional self-reported questionnaire adapted from EULAR’s gende...

Burnout is frequent among physicians and seems to be underestimated among rheumatologists. To estimate the frequency of burnout in a sample of rheumatologists practising in the Arab countries and determine its associated factors. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted by the Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR resear...

The Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR) Research Group (ARCH) conducted this study to investigate the number of current practicing rheumatologists in the Arab countries, to estimate the projected number of rheumatologists in 10 years, and to evaluate the current workload, practice profile, consultation waiting time, and geographica...

Objective: To explore the experiences and attitudes of Moroccan medical students towards research integrity and scientific misconduct. Methods: A cross-sectional web survey, incorporating the Research Misbehavior severity score (RMSS-Q) and Kalichman attitudes surveys, was distributed to doctors and medical students in five Moroccan medical univ...

In 2017, the Moroccan Society of Rheumatology (SMR) issued guidelines for the treatment of severe ankylosing spondylitis. The emergence of new therapeutic classes, the update of international guidelines for axial SpA and psoriatic arthritis, and the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges encountered by rheumatologists has led to the development of r...

The advent of new therapeutic classes and the updating of international recommendations have justified the development of recent recommendations by the Moroccan Society of Rheumatology. Methods Guidelines were drafted by a core steering committee after performing a literature search. A multidisciplinary task force, including three fellows, eleven r...

Objective The Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR) Research Group (ARCH) conducted this study to investigate the number of current practicing rheumatologists in the Arab countries, to estimate the number of rheumatologists in 10 years, and to evaluate the current workload, practice profile, consultation waiting time and geographical...

Background In patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), discordance between physicians and patients when assessing disease activity has been described as frequent, mainly in European and North American studies. This discordance may negatively impact treatment adherence and shared decision-making processes. Culture and beliefs influence patients’ per...

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) confer a significant risk of disability and poor quality of life, though fatigue, an important contributing factor, remains under-reported in these individuals. We aimed to compare and analyze differences in visual analog scale (VAS) scores (0–10 cm) for fatigue (VAS-F) in patients with IIMs, non-IIM system...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.39100.].

Background In North African countries, few data are available on the safety of biotherapies. Objectives To evaluate safety of biological therapy (excluding infections) in a population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) followed in the RBSMR (Registry of Biological therapies in rheumatic diseases of the Moroccan Society of Rheumatology). Methods This...

Background The demand for rheumatology care is consistently exceeding the workforce worldwide, which negatively impacts the care of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). The number of rheumatologists per 100,000 inhabitants varies between 0.94 in Latin America to 3.44 in Spain, with a desirable number of 1-2. However, the est...

Background Limited data have been published on tolerance and efficacy of biotherapy in moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA). Objectives To assess in real life the safety and efficacy of biological treatments in moroccan patients with RA and SpA. Methods The RBSMR is a registry of biological therapies in rhe...

Background In addition to the extra-articular manifestations associated with spondyloarthritis such as IBD, psoriasis and uveitis, spondyloarthritis is linked to an increased risk of comorbidities. Objectives To study the prevalence of comorbidities in spondyloarthritis (SPA) at inclusion and 36-month follow-up and their influence on disease activ...

Background Spondyloarthritis is a group of chronic inflammatory rheumatism most often affecting young adults. Biological background treatments have revolutionized their care, although some patients have failed these treatments. Objectives To estimate the prevalence of failure of the first biological treatment during spondyloarthritis and the facto...

Background Burnout is frequent among physicians and has significant implications for the healthcare system. However, it seems to be underestimated so far among rheumatologists, with few studies indicating a prevalence of 51-57%. Objectives To estimate the prevalence and predictors of burnout among rheumatologists practicing in Arab countries. Met...

Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease most often affecting young adult males and linked to the HLA B27 antigen in more than 90% of cases. The classic age of onset of symptoms is in most cases between 20 and 30 years. However, it is known that the disease can start in early childhood and that there are ca...

Objectives We aimed to explore current practice and interregional differences in the treatment of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). We triangulated these observations considering countries' gross national income (GNI), disease subtypes, and symptoms using patient-reported information. Methods A cross-sectional ancillary analysis of the ‘C...

Introduction The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria for axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA) allow for the classification of patients with an age of onset of disease of less than 45 years. However, SpA can start after this age. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of late-onset SpA (SpA>45 years)...

Unlabelled: The prevalence of glucocorticosteroid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is well established in higher income countries. There are limited studies showing a wide prevalence of GIOP in Africa. Prospective studies are needed on GIOP in African rheumatology patients to implement appropriate management algorithms. Purpose: The prevalence of glu...

Dear Editor, We read with interest the review article by Ishchenko et al. [1] highlighting the valuable role that women have played in the field of rheumatology. The authors point out that although underrepresented in this field, women have made a considerable contribution to rheumatology, particularly in the twentieth century. While welcoming this...

Objective COVID-19 vaccines have a favorable safety profile in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) such as idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), however hesitancy continues to persist among these patients. Therefore, we studied the prevalence, predictors, and reasons for hesitancy in patients with IIMs, other AIRDs, non-rheumat...

Aims: Alopecia areata is a non-scarring autoimmune disease, quite frequent in the pediatric population. Trichoscopy plays a fundamental role in its diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic evaluation. Our objective was to describe the trichoscopic signs of alopecia areata in children while showing the most frequent signs in the pediatric population and...

Dear Editor, Patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) represent a high-risk group for adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), and post COVID-19 vaccination disease flares have been speculated. However, data on vaccine-associated adverse events (ADEs) in the antenatal period and APOs in this vulnerable group are virtually non-existent, lim...

Despite of the availability of several effective bDMARDs, a significant proportion of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients discontinued bDMARDs. The aims of this study were to analyze causes of bDMARDs discontinuation in RA and AS included in the Moroccan registry RBSMR. A historical prospective multicenter cohort stud...

Over the last few decades, the development of Rheumatology on the African continent has made great strides. Alongside an increasing recognition of the prevalence and burden of disease from these conditions, has been a determination to raise awareness of these disorders in Africa together with an appreciation of the associated disease impact on indi...

Objectifs: Elaborer une mise à jour des recommandations de la Société Marocaine de Rhumatologie (SMR) de la prise en charge thérapeutique de la polyarthrite rhumatoïde (PR). Méthodes: Une recherche systématique de la littérature portant sur les travaux de la PR a été effectuée depuis la dernière mise à jour (2014) jusqu’en 2022. Un groupe de travai...

The use of online surveys as a recruitment tool for clinical research has recently expanded; nevertheless, optimal recruitment strategies remain poorly identified. Objectives. The study aimed to identify the most effective recruitment strategies for online research studies and to determine the optimal survey channels for obtaining patients’ respons...

Background Gender disparities in health care are pervasive worldwide, including the field of rheumatology in Africa, where there is a scarcity of rheumatologists. The heterogeneity of these disparities underscores the importance of addressing unmet needs at a regional level. We aimed to determine the number of rheumatologists in Africa, the gender...

Objectives: To describe and analyse the prevalence of extra-articular manifestations (EAMs) including acute anterior uveitis (AAU), psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the Moroccan registry of biological therapies in rheumatic diseases RBSMR (Registre des Biothérapies de la Société Marocai...

Vaccine hesitancy is considered a major barrier to achieving herd immunity against COVID-19. While multiple alternative and synergistic approaches including heterologous vaccination, booster doses, and antiviral drugs have been developed, equitable vaccine uptake remains the foremost strategy to manage pandemic. Although none of the currently appro...

Background The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is behind the current pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, gastrointestinal symptoms initially described as rare were reported, but their spread to other countries increased rapidly. This study aimed to dete...

Objectives : To assess the hierarchy of outcomes contributing to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in spondyloarthritis (SpA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods : Data from the international cross-sectional COMOSPA and COMORA studies were used. HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQOL 5-dimension 3-level (EQ-5D-3L). First, multivariable linea...

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic maintenance level of methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis patients enrolled in the Moroccan biotherapy registry and to identify predictive factors for discontinuing MTX treatment. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the baseline data of the Moroccan biotherapy regi...

We identified marked regional treatment disparities in a global cohort of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. These observations highlight the need for international consensus-driven management guidelines considering patient-centered care and available resources. Poster presented at the Global Conference on Myositis - Prague 2022

Background An increase in women physicians in the medical workforce is witnessed in recent decades, paralleled by an increase in leadership positions and, to a lesser extent, in academic advancement.Objectives This study aims to evaluate the women rheumatologists (WR) workforce and to identify the challenges faced by WR in the Arab League of Associ...

Background Glucocorticoid (GC) use is well established in the treatment of rheumatics diseases, particularly rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The use of low dose GC has been endorsed by EULAR recommendations for the management of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases even if in the context of SARS-CoV-2, but long-term use is generally discouraged. Obje...

Background Acute anterior uveitis is the most frequent extra-articular manifestation in spondyloarthritis (SpA). [1] Objectives The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of uveitis during SpA and to identify associated factors with its presence. Methods A cross-sectional multicentric observational study was conducted; the main data so...

Background Rheumatology education today can be very diverse, and you can find everything from structured textbooks to YouTube channels to social media accounts. Peer-reviewed content is still recognized as a very high-quality source of information. App-based content has the advantage of bundling information in one place, always available on the go....

Background Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are a group of heterogeneous autoimmune disorders with limited standardization of treatment protocols. Objectives To evaluate frequency and patterns of various treatments used for IIM based on disease subtype, world region, and organ involvement. Methods Cross-sectional data from the internation...