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D J Wallace

Publications and source records attributed to D J Wallace.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

How accelerated atherosclerosis in SLE has changed our management of the disorder.

Basic science insights along with the assessment of risk factors so clearly documented by the Canadian and Hopkins cohorts in earlier papers of this special issue have clearly led to a change in the way rheumatologists manage SLE. This review will highlight specific ways it should alter our day to day treatment of lupus patients.

Antibodies, Antiphospholipid↗

Anti-telomere antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus: a new ELISA test for anti-DNA with potential pathogenetic implications.

BACKGROUND: Telomeric hexamer repeats (TTAGGG/CCCTAA)n are highly repetitive sequences of DNA. They cap the termini of eukaryotic chromosomes and stabilize them, preventing degradation or fusion. Anti ds-DNA is one of the most specific tests for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Of related importance, a preliminary report has suggested that anti-telomere antibodies are also highly specific for the presence of SLE. METHODS: 220 patients with SLE, 79 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 54 with other rheumatic diseases and 99 healthy controls were tested for anti-telomere antibody as measured by enzyme immunoassay detecting 30- and 60-mer telomeric repeats (5-10 hexamers). 48 of the 220 SLE patients charts were abstracted for 90 separate clinical, laboratory and treatment parameters. Comparisons were made between SLE and non-SLE patients, and within the lupus group for telomere positivity and among the latter 48 patients for anti-DNA (Farr) levels and SLEDAI scores. RESULTS: Anti-telomere antibody was present in 48.6% of the overall SLE group (220), 71% of our cohort (48), 11% with primary Sjogren's (2/18), 7. 6% with RA (6/79) and 2% of normal controls (2/99) (P<0.001 comparing SLE to all other groups). In the 48 patient cohort, anti-telomere antibody was more sensitive than anti-dsDNA (Farr) (71% vs 50%), but did not correlate with other clinical parameters, SLEDAI scores, or other autoantibodies. CONCLUSIONS: The detection of anti-telomere antibody appears to be more sensitive and may be as specific as anti-dsDNA (Farr) in SLE. The detection of telomeric repeats may be as accurate as other anti-DNA assay methodologies and more specific for the presence of SLE. The immunogenic potential of telomere biology related to the pathogenesis and/or diagnosis of SLE deserves further investigation.

Adolescent↗

Cyclosporine for lupus membranous nephritis: experience with ten patients and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVES: The treatment of lupus membranous nephritis (LMN), a lupus subset that carries a high morbidity, is unsatisfactory. We report our experience in treating LMN with the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine (CYS). METHODS: We treated 10 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus fulfilling ACR criteria with CYS for at least 12 months and followed renal function, serologic activity and SLEDAI scores. PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: 8 females, 2 males, 50% Caucasian, mean age 37.3 y (range 22-48), disease duration 108.7 months (range 16-216), nephritis duration 35.5 months (range 12-59), date of biopsy to date of starting treatment 10.7 months (range 0-90). The patients were started on CYS with a mean dose of 3.8 mg/kg (range 2.2-6) and followed for a mean duration of 24.8 months (range 12-59). A Medline search identified all patients with lupus who were given CYS or had LMN in articles from 1966-1999. RESULTS: Proteinuria improved from a baseline mean of 5,588mg/24h (range 2,712-11,055) to 1,404 mg/24 h (range < 150-2,652). Serum albumin increased from a baseline mean of 2.8 g/100 ml (range 1.31-3.8) to a mean of 3.9 g/100 ml (range 3-4.5) at last follow-up. There was no significant change in lupus activity as measured by SLEDAI. Nephrotoxicity was common as evidenced by an increase in serum creatinine but it returned to baseline with adjustment of the dose of CYS (20% decrease in the dose of CYS for a 20% increase in serum creatinine). More antihypertensive medications were required to control the blood pressure in these ten patients at the end of the study compared to the onset (total number= 13 versus 6). CONCLUSION: Proteinuria and serum albumin improved in all patients on CYS. A literature review is consistent with this. Controlled studies of the use of CYS for membranous lupus nephritis would be useful.

Adult↗

Incidence of foodborne illnesses reported by the foodborne diseases active surveillance network (FoodNet)-1997. FoodNet Working Group.

In 1997, the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Program (FoodNet) conducted active surveillance for culture-confirmed cases of Campylobacter, Escherichia coli O157, Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia, Cyclospora, and Cryptosporidium in five Emerging Infections Program sites. FoodNet is a collaborative effort of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Infectious Diseases, the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and state health departments in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Minnesota, and Oregon. The population under active surveillance for foodborne infections was approximately 16.1 million persons or roughly 6% of the United States Population. Through weekly or monthly contact with all clinical laboratories in these sites, 8,576 total isolations were recorded: 2,205 cases of salmonellosis, 1,273 cases of shigellosis, 468 cases of cryptosporidiosis, 340 of E. coli O157:H7 infections, 139 of yersiniosis, 77 of listeriosis, 51 of Vibrio infections, and 49 of cyclosporiasis. Results from 1997 demonstrate that while there are regional and seasonal differences in reported incidence rates of certain bacterial and parasitic diseases, and that some pathogens showed a change in incidence from 1996, the overall incidence of illness caused by pathogens under surveillance was stable. More data over more years are needed to assess if observed variations in incidence reflect yearly fluctuations or true changes in the burden of foodborne illness.

Animals↗

Exogenous IL-10 and IL-4 down-regulate IL-6 production by SLE-derived PBMC.

The elevated expression of IL-6 and IL-10 may have an important role in SLE pathogenesis. IL-6 production by normal monocytes can be inhibited by IL-10, and it has been suggested that SLE monocytes are refractory to this negative signal. To examine this possibility, the effects of regulatory factors on IL-6 expression by SLE PBMC (N = 51) were compared to effects on control PBMC (N = 21). We found that (1) exogenous rIL-10 and rIL-4 mediated reduction of constitutive and lectin-induced IL-6 in monocytes of SLE patients as effectively as that of controls; (2) IL-6 mRNA decay was significantly delayed in SLE with active disease (P < 0.001); (3) adding rIL-10 or neutralizing endogenous IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha down-regulated IL-6 mainly by destabilizing IL-6 transcripts, whereas exogenous IL-4 and TGF beta 1 down-regulated IL-6 transcriptionally; (4) time kinetics and levels of IL-10 were lower than those of IL-6 and IL-1 beta. Thus, contrary to a previous report, IL-6 production by SLE PBMC responds normally to regulatory signals, and the IL-6 overexpression in SLE may be due, at least in part, to the kinetics and availability of regulatory cytokines.

Adult↗

Pierre Cazenave and the first detailed modern description of lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an English translation of the first detailed description of lupus erythematosus along with a reproduction of the first color illustration of the disorder, as well as an interpretive analysis. METHODS: Review of primary and secondary historical sources. RESULTS: Although lupus as we know it was first mentioned in medieval times, the first, extensive, accurate classification and description of the condition represented an evolution of Pierre Cazenave's thinking over his 60-year professional career. CONCLUSIONS: Given his complete lack of effective diagnostic tools, Dr. Cazenave demonstrated tremendous intuitive powers of deduction in shaping our understanding of the disorder.

France↗

Genome-wide screen for systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility genes in multiplex families.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the prototype of human autoimmune diseases. Its genetic component has been suggested by familial aggregation (lambdas = 20) and twin studies. We have screened the human genome to localize genetic intervals that may contain lupus susceptibility loci in a sample of 188 lupus patients belonging to 80 lupus families with two or more affected relatives per family using the ABI Prism linkage mapping set which includes 350 polymorphic markers with an average spacing of 12 cM. Non-parametric multipoint linkage analysis suggests evidence for predisposing loci on chromosomes 1 and 18. However, no single locus with overwhelming evidence for linkage was found, suggesting that there are no 'major' susceptibility genes segregating in families with SLE, and that the genetic etiology is more likely to result from the action of several genes of moderate effect. Furthermore, the support for a gene in the 1q44 region as well as in the 1p36 region is clearly found only in the Mexican American families with SLE but not in families of Caucasian ethnicity, suggesting that consideration of each ethnic group separately is crucial.

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1↗

PARP alleles within the linked chromosomal region are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by various autoantibodies that recognize autoantigens displayed on the surface of cells undergoing apoptosis. The genetic contribution to SLE susceptibility has been widely recognized. We previously reported evidence for linkage to SLE of the human chromosome 1q41-q42 region and have now narrowed it from 15 to 5 cM in an extended sample using multipoint linkage analysis. Candidate genes within this region include (a) PARP, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, encoding a zinc-finger DNA-binding protein that is involved in DNA repair and apoptosis; (b) TGFB2, encoding a transforming growth factor that regulates cellular interactions and responses; and (c) HLX1, encoding a homeobox protein that may regulate T-cell development. Using a multiallelic, transmission-disequilibrium test (TDT), we found overall skewing of transmission of PARP alleles to affected offspring in 124 families (P = 0.00008), preferential transmission of a PARP allele to affected offspring (P = 0.0003), and lack of transmission to unaffected offspring (P = 0.004). Similar TDT analyses of TGFB2 and HLX1 polymorphisms yielded no evidence for association with SLE. These results suggest that PARP may be (or is close to) the susceptibility gene within the chromosome 1q41-q42 region linked to SLE.

Alleles↗

Apheresis for lupus erythematosus.

Indications for the use of apheresis technologies in managing lupus erythematosus have undergone numerous conceptual changes since the procedure was automated in the 1960s and first attempted for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 1974. Once thought to be a promising treatment for a variety of aspects of SLE, apheresis has been relegated to occupying a few important niches as an adjunct in managing the disorder. This article will review the history, physiology and rationale of apheresis pertaining to SLE. A focused critical review of pertinent literature is presented, along with specific recommendations relating to the place of apheresis in the lupus therapeutic spectrum.

Antiphospholipid Syndrome↗

Randomized controlled trial of pulse/synchronization cyclophosphamide/apheresis for proliferative lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of pulse/synchronization cyclophosphamide/apheresis in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis. METHODS: Eighteen patients with Class III or IV renal biopsies and chronicity indices <6 were prospectively randomized to receive 6 courses of parenteral cyclophosphamide over 8 months along with prednisone. Nine of these patients also received 3 daily plasmaphereses prior to each of the 6 courses of cyclophosphamide. Assessments compiled at 6 and 24 months included serum creatinine, albumin, anti DNA, 24-hour urine protein, and C3 complement along with SLAM scores. RESULTS: Two out of nine patients in each group evolved end stage renal disease and 3/9 patients in each group went into a renal remission at 24 months. Serum albumin, C3 complement, and SLAM scores improved in both groups, and anti-DNA improved in the pulse/synchronization patients (P < 0.025). No intergroup comparisons were significant. CONCLUSION: The addition of pulse/synchronization apheresis to cyclophosphamide therapy does not improve the course of patients with proliferative lupus nephritis.

Adult↗