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Review
. 2023 Jan 11:9:988191.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.988191. eCollection 2022.

Global excellence in rheumatology in Latin America: The case of systemic lupus erythematosus

Manuel F Ugarte-Gil  1   2 , Yurilis Fuentes-Silva  3 , Victor R Pimentel-Quiroz  1   2 , Guillermo J Pons-Estel  4 , Rosana Quintana  4 , Bernardo A Pons-Estel  4 , Graciela S Alarcón  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Global excellence in rheumatology in Latin America: The case of systemic lupus erythematosus

Manuel F Ugarte-Gil et al. Front Med (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects more severely non-White populations, due to their genetic background and sociodemographic characteristics. Several studies have evaluated Latin American SLE patients to determine their genetic and clinical characteristics as well as prognostic factors; these studies have not only allowed the development of treatment guidelines aimed at the region but also to support regional and global projects. Additionally, educational activities in Spanish and Portuguese have been started to reduce our patients' health illiteracy. Despite the relatively low research output from Latin American countries, we consider that studies from our region coupled with the networks developed to increase our capabilities, could be a model for other rare autoimmune diseases.

Keywords: Hispanic; Latin America; South America; disparities; education; prognosis; research; systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Risk factors of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
First meeting of the Grupo Latino Americano de Estudio de Lupus (GLADEL) group July 1997. Originally published in https://www.gladel.org/contenidos/2020/09/17/Editorial_2933.php.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Model of educational activities in Latin America for systemic lupus erythematosus.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Graciela S. Alarcón with some of the Supporting Training Efforts in Lupus for Latin American Rheumatologists (STELLAR) and/or Lupus in Minorities: Nature versus Nurture (LUMINA) fellows in the mid 2000’s. Published at https://globalrheumpanlar.org/articulo/graciela-s-alarcon-mentora-en-la-esfera-academica-y-en-la-vida-familiar-786.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Graciela S. Alarcón with some of the Supporting Training Efforts in Lupus for Latin American Rheumatologists (STELLAR) and/or Lupus in Minorities: Nature versus Nurture (LUMINA) fellows in the mid 2010’s.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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