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Diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic aspects of systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus are rheumatic diseases characterized by excessive immunoreactivity. Exaggerated immunity is manifested as auto-antibody production and aberrant cell-mediated reactions directed against autologous tissue. Although the mechanisms and site for abnormal immune responses are not completely understood, risk factors that predispose an individual to develop rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus can be defined. Genetic factors, especially HLA genes, play an important role in rendering a host susceptible to the sequelae of immunologically mediated diseases. Modern technology, such as T-cell cloning, can be used to dissect polymorphic HLA determinants involved in the genetic susceptibility for rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Mapping of disease-associated determinants in rheumatoid arthritis patients suggests that polymorphic sites within the third hypervariable region of the HLA-DR beta 1-chain are functionally involved in the initiation and perpetuation of the disease. These HLA-determinants function to mediate the contact between the HLA- and the T-cell receptor molecules. In systemic lupus erythematosus patients, the role of disease associated molecules appears to be distinct; genetic susceptibility is correlated to patterns of auto-antibody productions. Immunogenetic studies may provide diagnostic tools to subset patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus and develop prognostic markers to tailor immunomodulatory therapy. Both diseases are characterized by high levels of morbidity and mortality, but can now be mitigated by the careful and judicious use of immunosuppressives.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

NIH conference. Systemic lupus erythematosus: insights from animal models.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multisystem, antibody-mediated, autoimmune disorder that occurs spontaneously in humans and mice. Genetic factors appear to play an important predisposing role in the disorder: The presence of certain genes may produce a generalized immune abnormality, whereas others may lead to specific autoantibodies. Environmental triggers increase autoantibody production and augment the expression of illness. Bacterial and viral illnesses can provide stimulation by activating macrophages and T cells that, in turn, stimulate B cells. In the absence of normal control mechanisms, the stimulatory process is not suppressed, and excessive stem cell proliferation results in abnormal B-cell proliferation. A trigger for the disease is the signaling of the proliferating B cells to differentiate into antibody-forming cells. Most autoantibody-producing B cells can be eliminated from mice with lupus erythematosus by virtue of the presence of the gene, xid. In addition, administration of an analog of arachidonic acid is an effective treatment for murine lupus erythematosus.

Animals↗

The 677C --> T mutation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in epileptic patients affected by systemic lupus erythematosus.

Neuropsychiatric involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is considered as one of the major manifestations of the disease. Epilepsy has been documented in about 10% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is well known that vascular damage in SLE occurs because of multiple mechanisms including hypercoagulation. It has been recently reported that in SLE patients raised levels of homocysteine are associated with arterial thrombosis. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is a condition due to both genetic and non-genetic factors. The most common genetic defect in homocysteine metabolism is a decreased activity of a common 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) variant (677C -->T, a thermolabile form). In this paper we describe the epileptic manifestations in six out of 55 SLE patients. Seizures were the SLE onset symptom for three patients, appeared during the active disease in two cases, and occurred during a period of clinical remission in one patient. In all cases we documented the association of epilepsy with the MTHFR mutation: the homozygosity form was present in one case (16.7%), and heterozygosity in five cases (83.3%). Nevertheless, levels of homocysteine in plasma were in the normal range. Moreover, we found a decrease in the level of S protein values in one case, a high titre positivity of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) (IgG and IgM) in three patients and low titre positivity (IgG) in one patient, and lupus anticoagulant (LAC) positivity in four cases. In conclusion, we believe that the abnormalities of coagulation present in our patients could be related to epileptogenesis or to an alteration of the seizure threshold.

Adolescent↗

Fibromyalgia in lupus erythematosus.

Fibromyalgia has been reported to occur with high prevalence in systemic lupus erythematosus. Data on fibromyalgia in other subsets of lupus erythematosus are not available. Risk factors for fibromyalgia have not been defined. We investigated 60 patients with different subsets of lupus erythematosus for the presence of fibromyalgia, association with clinical and laboratory parameters and disease activity. Our data were compared with the multicentre lupus erythematosus registry at the Free University of Berlin. Ten out of 60 patients with more than 11 tender points and widespread pain for more than 3 months were classified as positive for fibromyalgia. All of them were female. Fibromyalgia-positive patients suffered significantly more often from headache, morning stiffness, diffuse alopecia, muscle pain, arthralgia, renal involvement, and disclosed peripheral blood cell cytopenia, rheumatoid factor, hypergammaglobulinaemia and intake of corticosteroids and azathioprine. Fibromyalgia was more frequent in systemic lupus than in other lupus subsets. Evaluation of fibromyalgia symptoms and lupus disease activity was performed in 30 patients in a 1-year (range 9-13 months) follow-up. These 30 patients consisted of 9 fibromyalgia-positive and 21 fibromyalgia-negative patients. Both groups were characterized by stable clinical features such as number of tender points and ECLAM index. Fibromyalgia did not show a correlation with lupus activity. We suggest that fibromyalgia and lupus erythematosus are distinct complaints. Patients with lupus are at risk of developing secondary fibromyalgia. The clinical features of fibromyalgia-positive patients may contribute to misinterpretation of lupus activity.

Adult↗

Measuring systemic lupus erythematosus activity during pregnancy: validation of the lupus activity index in pregnancy scale.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Lupus Activity Index in Pregnancy (LAI-P) scale as a diagnostic tool for lupus flares during pregnancy and the puerperium. METHODS: The LAI-P is a modified activity scale specific for pregnancy. Thirty-eight pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were prospectively followed in 3 clinics specific for lupus in pregnancy. On each visit, LAI-P was calculated. A modified physician global assessment (m-PGA) scale was used as gold standard (0 = no activity, 1 = mild-moderate activity, 2 = severe activity). A change > or = 0.25 in LAI-P was predefined as a flare according to previous studies in nonpregnant patients. For the purposes of the study, each visit was considered as an independent case. RESULTS: During the study period, 158 visits took place for a total 621 patient-weeks. Sensitivity to change was high (standardized response mean for LAI-P = 1.6). We found a significant association between LAI-P and m-PGA (P < 0.002 in all regression models performed). Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 0.93, 0.98, 0.88, and 0.99. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were 49 and 0.07, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: LAI-P has a high sensitivity to changes in lupus activity, a significant correlation with m-PGA, and high sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios for diagnosing SLE flares during pregnancy and the puerperium.

Adult↗

Antibodies to histones in systemic lupus erythematosus and drug-induced lupus syndromes.

Antihistone antibodies are some of the most frequent autoantibodies in rheumatic diseases and can represent useful diagnostic markers in some autoimmune syndromes. Histone epitopes are often located in accessible regions of chromatin or are conformational determinants resulting from the association of several components. These observations and studies with murine models of lupus strongly support the view that histones play a direct stimulatory role in triggering autoantibody production.

Antibodies↗

Neonatal lupus erythematosus.

This article discusses neonatal lupus erythematosus, which is a disease of the newborn defined by the presence of maternal autoantibodies and characteristic clinical features in the neonatal period. Although the autoantibodies often are not associated with clinical disease in the mother, neonatal lupus erythematosus is likely the result of fetal or neonatal tissue damage caused by maternally transmitted IgG autoantibodies.

Animals↗

[Pancreatitis and hepatitis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus].

A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus presenting abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and severe mucocutaneous vasculitis had significant elevation of serum amylase and hepatic enzymes levels during a flare-up of the disease. Clinical and laboratory alterations disappeared after therapeutic increase of corticosteroids given to the patient a fact that suggested etiologic correlation between systemic lupus erythematosus, hepatitis and pancreatitis.

Acute Disease↗

Gluten-sensitive enteropathy and systemic lupus erythematosus.

A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus developed gluten-sensitive enteropathy, or celiac sprue. The patient's histocompatibility antigens included HLA-B8 and HLA-DR3, previously found to have a high frequency in gluten-sensitive enteropathy and possibility increased as well in systemic lupus erythematosus. Such histocompatibility antigens are common to a variety of autoimmune disorders. An immune basis for the association is discussed herein.

Celiac Disease↗

Massive hepatic infarction in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Liver disease in systemic lupus erythematosus, as demonstrated by abnormal histopathology, is rare and usually mild; typically, this hepatic disease is of chronic nature and not related to a hypercoagulable state. A patient is described in whom life-threatening hypercoagulability in association with systemic lupus erythematosus resulted in extensive liver infarction. Follow-up radionuclide liver scintigraphy suggested that regenerative recovery in the infarcted areas of the liver may be delayed or absent, but there was no evident functional hepatic impairment.

Adult↗

Correlation between anti-DNA antibody titre and psychiatric manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus.

A patient with systemic lupus erythematosus with predominant psychiatric involvement was followed during two psychotic exacerbations of her disease. A high correlation was found between disease activity and the titre of anti-DNA antibodies. Disease activity was preceded and accompanied by a high titre, while remission was associated with low titre. The significance of this correlation for the pathogenesis, diagnosis and managment of the psychiatric symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus are discussed.

Adult↗

An increased prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus infection in young patients suggests a possible etiology for systemic lupus erythematosus.

An unknown environmental agent has been suspected to induce systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) in man. Prompted by our recent immunochemical findings, we sought evidence for an association between Epstein-Barr virus infection and lupus. Because the vast majority of adults have been infected with Epstein-Barr virus, we chose to study children and young adults. Virtually all (116 of 117, or 99%) of these young patients had seroconverted against Epstein-Barr virus, as compared with only 70% (107 of 153) of their controls (odds ratio 49.9, 95% confidence interval 9.3-1025, P < 0. 00000000001). The difference in the rate of Epstein-Barr virus seroconversion could not be explained by serum IgG level or by cross-reacting anti-Sm/nRNP autoantibodies. No similar difference was found in the seroconversion rates against four other herpes viruses. An assay for Epstein-Barr viral DNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes established Epstein-Barr virus infection in the peripheral blood of all 32 of the lupus patients tested, while only 23 of the 32 matched controls were infected (odds ratio > 10, 95% confidence interval 2.53-infinity, P < 0.002). When considered with other evidence supporting a relationship between Epstein-Barr virus and lupus, these data are consistent with, but do not in themselves establish, Epstein-Barr virus infection as an etiologic factor in lupus.

Adolescent↗

Acute renal failure associated with a minimal change nephrotic syndrome in a systemic lupus erythematosus patient.

In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), acute renal failure (ARF) is usually associated with severe lupus nephritis and ARF associated with other glomerular diseases is extremely rare. We recently encountered a patient with ARF that was associated with a minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) in SLE. A 41-year-old woman presented with a nephrotic syndrome and ARF. She fulfilled four of the American College of Rheumatology criteria for the classification of SLE. However, a renal biopsy revealed that there were no glomerular abnormalities and no deposition of immune complex. The generalized edema disappeared and the high creatinine levels decreased after prednisolone therapy.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Antithrombin, protein S and protein C and antiphospholipid antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk of thrombosis, related to the lupus anticoagulant or anticardiolipin antibodies (ACL). Antithrombin (AT), protein C (PC) and protein S are natural anticoagulants with a very important role in the regulation of coagulation and fibrinolysis, and in the prevention of thrombosis. Total protein S (TPS), free protein S (FPS), AT and PC were measured in 53 unselected patients with SLE in order to verify their relation with previous history of thrombosis or the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACL). The influence of prednisone use on the concentration of these natural anticoagulants was also analysed. The control group was formed by 20 blood donors. The PC concentration was increased in patients with ACL, when compared to controls (p < 0.01), or patients without ACL (p = 0.01). FPS levels were decreased in patients with SLE in relation to controls (p = 0.01), but not related to thrombosis or ACL. There was no difference in plasmatic concentration of AT and TPS, between patients and controls. PC, AT and TPS were increased in patients under prednisone use (p < 0.01). There was no association between concentration of natural anticoagulants and a history of thrombosis. Although decreased FPS was found, or results suggest that it seems not to be a risk factor for thrombosis in SLE. Since PC and AT were not decreased, they should not be involved with thromboembolic complications in these patients. The use of prednisone can influence concentration of natural anticoagulants in patients with SLE.

Adolescent↗

Technetium-99m sestamibi single-photon emission tomography detects subclinical myocardial perfusion abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, involvement of the cardiovascular system is the third leading cause of death. However, although autopsy studies have demonstrated a high incidence of abnormalities in both the myocardium and coronary vessels, clinical manifestations have been reported in only a small percentage of cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate myocardial perfusion in asymptomatic lupus patients using technetium-99m sestamibi single-photon emission tomography (SPET). Twenty-eight patients without overt cardiac involvement and risk factors were studied with 99mTc-sestamibi SPET at rest and after dipyridamole infusion. Perfusion abnormalities were detected in 18 cases: six had persistent defects, three had reversible defects, seven had both persistent and reversible defects, and two showed rest defects which normalized on dipyridamole images ("reverse redistribution pattern"). Coronary angiography was performed in eight patients with positive 99mTc-sestamibi SPET, and showed normal epicardial vessels in all the cases. These results indicate that 99mTc-sestamibi SPET reveals a high prevalence (18 out of 28 patients in this study, i.e. 64%) of myocardial perfusion abnormalities in asymptomatic lupus patients, probably due to the primary immunological damage of this autoimmune disease. In conclusion, rest/dipyridamole 99mTc-sestamibi SPET can be a useful non-invasive method to identify subclinical myocardial involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus, and patients potentially at risk of later cardiac events.

Adult↗