OBJECTIVE: Gout is the most prevalent form of arthritis afflicting Filipinos. The diagnosis and overall management need further improvement especially among medical practitioners. Our study aims to develop evidence-based guidelines for general medical practitioners on the management of uncomplicated gout with the overall goal of improving the standard of care of patients with gouty arthritis.

METHODOLOGY: The Technical Review Committee (TRC) of the Philippine Rheumatology Association (PRA) Gout Special Interest Group (S1G) conducted a literature search relating to management issues on all phases of gout from years 1980 to 2007 using databases including Medline, Ovid, Lilacs, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). The GRADE system in rating quality of evidence and strength of recommendation was used. A multidisciplinary panel voted and approved the final recommendations during an en bane meeting.

RESULTS: Nine recommendations for the management of uncomplicated gouty arthritis were developed based on evidence from the literature and consensus among experts and key stakeholders. Concerns regarding the initiation and maintainance of urate lowering therapy, target serum uric acid levels, treatment of acute gout, lifestyle and dietary modifications, comorbidities associated with gout such as cardiovascular disease were addressed.

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OBJECTIVE: To describe the factors affecting compliance to medications among adult Filipino patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

METHODS: A survey was conducted among adult Filipino patients with SLE at the Rheumatology Clinics of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital and St. Luke's Medical Center seen from July to December 2006. Each patient was asked to complete the Compliance-Questionnaire-Rheumatology form. Quality of life, disease activity and organ damage were assessed. Data were statistically analyzed using comparison of means.

RESULTS: A total of 70 patients (all females) were included in the study. There was a 71 percent compliance rate in this cohort SLE patients. Compliance rate was highest among married (74%), self-employed (88%) patients who attained a grade school level of education (83%) with income above the minimum wage (76%). Age, disease duration, quality of life, disease activity and organ damage did not significantly affect compliance rate.

CONCLUSION: In this cohort of Filipino patients with SLE, the overall compliance rate was 71 percent with the highest compliance found among those who were married, self-employed and/or with income above minimum wage, and those who attained only a grade school level of education. Age, disease duration, quality of life, disease activity and organ damage did not significantly affect the compliance of patients to medications. Since compliance is vital to the effective management of SLE, our observations reiterate the need to further study the other possible factors affecting compliance in order to develop more focused patient education programs.

Human ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus