The University of Santo Tomas Hospital (simply UST Hospital or USTH) is a hospital located at the University of Santo Tomas. The hospital has two divisions, a clinical teaching hospital that offers inexpensive medical care for indigent patients and a private hospital for patients with financial means, which is partially used to subsidize the clinical division.
Osteoporosis is a major and growing health concern in the Asia-Pacific region, y et it remains widely underdiagnosed and undertreated due to limited access to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in many areas. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers new opportunities to improve osteoporosis screening and management, but unvalidated tools pose risks of inconsistent care. This consensus was developed to provide regionally harmonized guidance on the safe, effective, and equitable use of AI in osteoporosis care. Purpose The aim of this work was to establish expert consensus recommendations on the role of AI in osteoporosis screening and management in the Asia-Pacific region. Key objectives were to define appropriate applications of AI (e.g., imaging-based bone assessment and fracture risk prediction) and specify minimum standards for validation and reporting, addressing region-specific implementation challenges and ensuring that AI use aligns with clinical guidelines and ethical principles. Methods This consensus was developed through multidisciplinary collaboration among experts across the Asia-Pacific region. Each participant reviewed draft statements, contributed feedback during virtual meetings, and provided insights based on clinical experience and current evidence. Consensus was reached iteratively until full agreement was achieved for all statements. The process integrated global best practices and regional adaptations, drawing from peer-reviewed studies, international AI guidelines, and local fracture registry data. The final recommendations emphasize the validation, transparency, and ethical implementation of AI within regional healthcare systems, ensuring compatibility with local regulations. Ultimately, twelve consensus statements were established to guide the responsible use of AI for osteoporosis screening and management in the Asia-Pacific region. Results The panel produced 12 consensus statements covering the role of AI as an adjunct for opportunistic osteoporosis screening rather than a diagnostic tool, requirements for imaging quality and AI model transparency, standards for validation and performance reporting, integration of AI with clinical risk stratification, demonstration of clinical utility in real-world settings, adherence to data protection laws and ethical AI principles, training of clinicians in AI use, strategies for implementation and monitoring (including post-market surveillance and feedback loops), and recognition of technical, clinical, and equity limitations of AI. All 12 statements give extensive recommendations for using AI to improve osteoporosis management while ensuring patient safety, accuracy, and equity. Conclusion This first Asia-Pacific consensus on AI in osteoporosis concludes that AI, when appropriately validated and implemented, can help bridge the osteoporosis care gap by identifying high-risk patients who would otherwise remain undiagnosed, thus facilitating earlier intervention. It emphasizes that AI should complement-not replace-standard diagnostic methods and clinical judgment. The guidance emphasizes validation, transparency, and ethical oversight to facilitate early intervention while minimizing risks associated with unvalidated or premature AI adoption.
OBJECTIVE:To describe the clinical presentation at diagnosis and identify risk factors affecting outcomes in patients with juvenile spondyloarthropathy (JSpA). METHODS:This retrospective cohort study reviewed records of patients ≤18 years old diagnosed with JSpA (2008-2023) at a pediatric rheumatology clinic, with at least 2 follow-up visits. Remission was defined as (1) on medication (inactive disease ≥6 months) or (2) off medication (inactive disease ≥12 months). RESULTS:Eighty-eight patients were included; 90.9% were male. The mean age of onset was 12.6 years. Peripheral arthritis (77.3%) and enthesitis (39.8%) were common. Sacroiliitis was found in 56.8% at diagnosis. Risk factors associated with sacroiliitis included peripheral arthritis and enthesitis, polyarticular, and hip involvement. Golimumab and etanercept were anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents frequently used. Clinical remission on and off medication occurred in 33% and 10.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION:The JSpA in this cohort demonstrated substantial disease burden, with frequent axial and peripheral involvement. Although 43.2% of patients achieved clinical remission, sustained remission off medication was observed in only 10.2%, reflecting the chronic disease course. Early diagnosis and optimized treatment strategies remain essential to improve outcomes.
Objectives Organ damage in SLE is assessed using the SLICC/ACR Damage Index (SDI), which quantifies damage in 12 organ systems but generally reports a total score. We examined whether the risk factors for overall organ damage accrual captured those associated with domain-specific damage accrual in patients with SLE. Methods Data from a 13-country longitudinal SLE cohort were collected between 2013 and 2020 using standard templates. SDI was used to assess overall and domain-specific organ damage. A series of multi-failure, multivariate models were performed to examine the risk factors associated with overall and domain-specific damage accrual. Results A total of 3449 patients with a median of 2.8 [interquartile range (IQR): 1.1, 5.6] years of follow-up were studied. Twenty-one percent (n = 717) patients accrued damage in at least one domain during the study period (musculoskeletal, 6%; renal and ocular, 5% each, neuropsychiatric, 2.5%; <2%, other domains). Risk factors for damage accrual differed among domains. Older age, cumulative glucocorticoid dose, existing skin damage, and diabetes were strong predictors in multiple but discrete domains. Asian ethnicity conferred greater risk of ocular, musculoskeletal, and diabetic damage accrual but was protective against peripheral vascular damage accrual. Smoking was a significant risk factor for peripheral vascular and skin damage accrual, while male sex was associated with the malignancy domain. Conclusion Risk factors for individual organ system damage accrual were highly varied in patients with SLE. Not all factors associated with domain-specific damage accrual were captured by the risk factors analysed for overall organ damage accrual. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, http://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03138941.
INTRODUCTION:Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the most common chronic rheumatic diseases and requires coordinated and targeted treatment strategies to avoid long-term disability. Existing guidelines from Western countries may not address region-specific factors, including genetic heterogeneity, limited treatment availability, and limitations in healthcare infrastructure, in the Asia Pacific region. The aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) and meta-analysis was to provide up-to-date evidence for the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR) recommendations for managing polyarticular course JIA (pcJIA) and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis. METHODS:This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines, with searches conducted on MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and CENTRAL through January 2025. Included studies addressed pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic treatments for pcJIA and TMJ involvement. Studies were limited to publications not already covered in existing guidelines. The Cochrane Rob2 tool and GRADE approach were used to assess quality and evidence certainty. Meta-analyses were performed where applicable. RESULTS:Of the initial 9424 records, 86 studies were included in the qualitative analysis. Methotrexate remains the csDMARD of choice, and subcutaneous administration may be more advantageous. Biological DMARDs, particularly abatacept and tocilizumab, have evidence for good efficacy and acceptable safety profiles. Emerging evidence supports the use of JAK inhibitors. Biosimilars were reported to have efficacy and safety comparable to those of originator biologics in observational studies. Limited evidence suggests that gradual medication tapering after achieving inactive disease status reduces the risk of flares. Evidence for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and complementary medicine was of very low certainty due to methodological heterogeneity. CONCLUSION:This SLR offers new evidence to support region-specific clinical practice in JIA. While many findings support global recommendations, important evidence gaps remain, particularly in tapering, biosimilar use, TMJ management, and non-pharmacological therapies. These insights will directly inform APLAR's upcoming clinical practice guideline for pcJIA and TMJ arthritis.
