Unilateral polymyalgia rheumatica with controlateral sympathetic dystrophy syndrome. A case of asymmetrical involvement due to pre-existing peripheral palsy.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Aged↗
Biomedical subjects
F Atzeni
Publications and source records attributed to F Atzeni.
The diagnostic value for differentiated thyroid carcinoma metastases of thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement in washout fluid from fine-needle aspiration biopsy of neck lymph nodes is maintained in the presence of circulating anti-Tg antibodies.
OBJECTIVE: Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) is the marker of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) after total thyroidectomy, but its value is limited by the interference of anti-Tg antibodies (TgAb). Detection of Tg in fine-needle aspiration biopsy (Tg-FNAB) washout fluid is used to identify neck DTC recurrences/metastases, but the interference of serum TgAb in this procedure is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-three patients (41 after surgery for thyroid cancer and 32 with thyroid nodules) evaluated for suspicious cervical lymph nodes were retrospectively reviewed. Tg was assayed by immunoradiometric assay or chemiluminescent assay in ultrasound-guided FNAB used for cytology. Serum TgAb were detected by passive agglutination or chemiluminescent assay. On the basis of preliminary data obtained in lymphadenitis, Tg-FNAB more than 36 ng/ml and more than 1.7 ng/ml (in the presence or absence of thyroid gland, respectively) was considered as indicative of metastasis. RESULTS: In 51 TgAb-negative patients, Tg-FNAB was positive in 15 (12 with malignant and three with nondiagnostic cytology), all with histologically confirmed DTC metastases. Of the remaining 36 patients with negative Tg-FNAB, 30 had nonsuspicious and six had suspicious cytology. Histology of the latter showed four undifferentiated thyroid cancer metastases and two lymphadenitis. In 22 TgAb-positive patients, Tg-FNAB was positive in 14 (12 with malignant and two with nondiagnostic cytology), all with histologically confirmed DTC metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical performance of Tg-FNAB appears to be not substantially affected by TgAb, and this procedure remains superior to cytology in the identification of DTC neck metastases. However, cytology should always be performed because, irrespective of TgAb, Tg is undetectable in FNAB from undifferentiated metastases.
Adolescent↗
Polymyositis-dermatomyositis and infections.
In genetically predisposed individuals, viruses, bacteria, or parasitic infectious agents are suspected to induce autoimmunity and/or to exacerbate the disease once the self-tolerance is broken. Although direct evidence for this association is still lacking, numerous data from animal models as well as from humans support the hypothesis of a direct contribution of pathogens to the induction of several autoimmune diseases. This review focused on the possible role of infectious agents as triggers of autoimmunity in polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). Epidemiological studies, clinical and experimental findings that support the hypothesis of infection-induced PM and DM are summarized and discussed. In addition, immune response abnormalities and immunosuppressive medications may be responsible for the high percentage of infectious complications in PM and DM patients. In this review, the increased risk of developing infections in these patients is also underlined and published data are reported.
Animals↗
Autoantibody profile during short-term infliximab treatment for Crohn's disease: a prospective cohort study.
BACKGROUND: The potential clinical implications of autoimmunity during treatment with infliximab are unclear. AIM: To determine the frequency and correlation of autoantibody formation in patients with Crohn's disease treated with infliximab in a routine clinical setting. METHODS: Sixty-three patients with refractory/inflammatory (31) and/or fistulising Crohn's disease (32), received an infliximab infusion at a dose 5 mg/kg in weeks 0, 2 and 6, and were evaluated for the development of antinuclear, anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-Sm, anti-RNP, anti-SSA, anti-SSB and antihistone antibodies. The correlates with pharmacological treatments, the response to infliximab and adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: Antinuclear antibodies were found in five of the 63 patients (8%) at baseline and in 26 (42%) after 10 weeks (P < 0.001). Of the 26 antinuclear antibody-positive patients who were further subtyped, nine of 63 (17%) had anti-double-stranded DNA (P = 0.003), and 1.5% were extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) and antihistone-positive. Five patients were initially positive for anticardiolipin antibodies and two more patients became positive during infliximab treatment. New autoantibody formation was more frequent in the patients with inflammatory/refractory disease than in those with fistulising disease (17 vs. 7; P = 0.02). One patient developed drug-induced lupus without major organ damage. CONCLUSIONS: Autoantibody formation occurs in 42% of patients (8% of these patients were positive before infliximab treatment) with Crohn's disease receiving induction treatment with infliximab, but the clinical significance of this remains to be determined.
Adolescent↗
Anti-TNF antibody treatment improves glucocorticoid induced insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) resistance without influencing myoglobin and IGF1 binding proteins 1 and 3.
BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is an important determinant of muscle mass because it promotes growth and suppresses protein degradation. IGF1 is decreased in rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis because its synthesis is inhibited by inflammation. In parallel, glucocorticoids induce IGF1 resistance and add to muscle degradation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of anti-tumour necrosis factor antibody treatment (anti-TNF) with adalimumab on levels of myoglobin (degradation marker) and IGF1 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with and without prednisolone treatment. METHODS: Subcutaneous adalimumab was given to 32 patients with longstanding rheumatoid arthritis (16 with and 16 without prednisolone) in a longitudinal study. IGF1, IGF1 binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), IGFBP-3, and myoglobin were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Rheumatoid patients had normal serum myoglobin. Patients on prednisolone had higher myoglobin than patients not receiving prednisolone, indicating increased muscle degradation. On treatment with anti-TNF, myoglobin levels did not change in either patient group. Serum IGF1 was increased in patients with v without prednisolone, indicating IGF1 resistance (mean (SEM): 221 (23) v 122 (14) microg/l, p<0.001). Adalimumab treatment decreased the raised IGF1 levels in patients with prednisolone, so that after 12 weeks of treatment they reached the level of patients without prednisolone. Serum IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 did not differ in the two groups, and anti-TNF did not change these concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-TNF antibody treatment over 12 weeks improved glucocorticoid induced IGF1 resistance without influencing myoglobin and IGF1 binding proteins. Thus, in rheumatoid patients on glucocorticoids with generally decreased muscle mass anti-TNF treatment with adalimumab has favourable effects.
Adalimumab↗
Increase of sympathetic outflow measured by neuropeptide Y and decrease of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis tone in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis: another example of uncoupling of response systems.
OBJECTIVE: To study in parallel the outflow of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis tone in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: 32 patients with SLE, 62 with RA, and 65 healthy subjects (HS) were included. To measure the tone of the HPA axis, plasma ACTH and serum cortisol were determined. Serum neuropeptide Y (NPY) was used to evaluate the sympathetic outflow. RESULTS: Patients with SLE had increased NPY levels in comparison with HS, irrespective of prior prednisolone treatment (p<0.001). For patients with RA, only those with prednisolone treatment had increased NPY levels in comparison with HS (p = 0.016). Daily prednisolone dose correlated positively with serum NPY in RA (R(Rank) = 0.356, p = 0.039). In contrast, plasma ACTH levels were generally decreased significantly in comparison with HS in SLE with prednisolone, and in RA with/without prednisolone. Similarly, serum cortisol levels were also decreased in SLE with/without prednisolone, and in RA with prednisolone. The NPY/ACTH ratio was increased in SLE and RA, irrespective of prior prednisolone treatment. The NPY/cortisol ratio was increased in SLE with/without prednisolone, and in RA with prednisolone. Twelve weeks' anti-TNF antibody treatment with adalimumab did not decrease NPY levels in RA, irrespective of prednisolone treatment. CONCLUSIONS: An increased outflow of the SNS was shown and a decreased tone of the HPA axis in patients with SLE and RA. Low levels of cortisol in relation to SNS neurotransmitters may be proinflammatory because cooperative anti-inflammatory coupling of the two endogenous response axes is missing.
Adalimumab↗
Anti-tumour necrosis factor antibody treatment does not change serum levels of cortisol binding globulin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis but it increases androstenedione relative to cortisol.
BACKGROUND: Cortisol binding globulin (CBG) is produced by liver cells and is inhibited by proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL) 6. CBG serum levels are typically low during prolonged inflammatory processes. Thus, observed changes of cortisol during anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) treatment may be related to changes of CBG in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the course of CBG during anti-TNF treatment in RA. METHODS: 13 patients with longstanding RA, without prior prednisolone treatment, were included in this longitudinal study with subcutaneous adalimumab. RESULTS: Treatment with anti-TNF markedly decreased clinical markers of inflammation and serum IL6. Serum levels of cortisol, CBG, and the ratio of cortisol/CBG did not change markedly, whereas the ratio of serum CBG/IL6 increased (p = 0.004). In parallel, levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone decreased during the observation period. The ratio serum androstenedione/serum cortisol increased during the study (p = 0.036). CONCLUSIONS: During anti-TNF treatment relatively normal levels of CBG and a normal ratio of CBG/cortisol are found. Changes of cortisol in relation to IL6 during anti-TNF treatment, seen previously, may not be related to changes of CBG.
Adalimumab↗
Cardiac involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus.
Pericarditis is the most common cardiac abnormality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, but lesions of the valves, myocardium and coronary vessels may all occur. In the past, cardiac manifestations were severe and life threatening, often leading to death. Therefore, they were frequently found in post-mortem examinations. Nowadays cardiac manifestations are often mild and asymptomatic. However, they can be frequently recognized by echocardiography and other noninvasive tests. Echocardiography is a sensitive and specific technique in detecting cardiac abnormalities, particularly mild pericarditis, valvular lesions and myocardial dysfunction. Therefore, echocardiography should be performed periodically in SLE patients. Vascular occlusion, including coronary arteries, may develop due to vasculitis, premature atherosclerosis or antiphospholipid antibodies associated with SLE. Premature atherosclerosis is the most frequent cause of coronary artery disease (CAD) in SLE patients. Efforts should be made to control traditional risk factors as well as all other factors which could contribute to atherosclerotic plaque development.
Cardiovascular Diseases↗
Behçet's disease and cardiovascular involvement.
Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem disease of unknown etiology characterized by chronic relapsing orogenital ulcers, uveitis and systemic involvement including articular, gastrointestinal, cardiopulmonary, neurological and vascular pathology. The incidence and nature of cardiac involvement are not clearly elucidated. Cardiovascular manifestations have been reported in 7-46% of patients and mortality occurs in up to 20% of those patients with marked vascular involvement. Sporadic cases of endocarditis, myocarditis, pericarditis, acute myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm, ventricular thrombosis, congestive cardiomyopathy and valvular dysfunction have been reported. This review discusses the general aspects of the pathogenic mechanisms and clinical features cardiovascular involvement in BD, and provides the data of cardiovascular involvement in a cohort of Italian BD patients.
Behcet Syndrome↗
Cardiac imaging techniques in systemic autoimmune diseases.
Systemic autoimmune disorders are frequently associated to cardiac involvement and to a high prevalence of ischemic coronary events, often occurring at a younger age than in the normal population. Large increase in mortality is related to premature atherosclerosis with coronary artery disease and stroke in patients with connective tissue diseases. Coronary heart disease is responsible for 40-50% of the deaths of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Transesophageal or transthoracic echocardiography are the most useful and noninvasive techniques able to detect not only valvular abnormalities, embolic sources or pulmonary hypertension, but also left ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction. Furthermore, the introduction of new indexes, contrast agents and software increased the accuracy of this technique. It is possible now to evaluate coronary flow reserve by transthoracic echocardiography in patients with systemic autoimmune disease in order to detect microvasculature disorder. However, an ischemic response in a symptomatic patient requires, in most cases, further evaluation with cardiac catheterization. Coronary artery imaging allows confirmation of the presence, extent and position of atheromatous lesions. More recently, other imaging modalities including magnetic resonance and computerized tomography angiography have been developed to allow imaging of the coronary arteries.
Autoimmune Diseases↗
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha, biologic agents and cardiovascular risk.
The increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may depend on traditional risk factors but may also be attributable to RA-specific risk factors such as disease-related dyslipidemia, or cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). TNF-alpha is a proinflammatory cytokine that can produce widespread deleterious effects when expressed in large amounts. It is produced in the heart by both cardiac myocytes and resident macrophages under conditions of cardiac stress, and is thought to be responsible for many of the untoward manifestations of cardiac disease. TNF-alpha may play a role in the triggering and perpetuation of atherosclerosis. Treatment with biologic agents directed against TNF-alpha has significant clinical benefits in inflammatory diseases such as RA and may be able to reduce cardiovascular risk. The disappointing results of the recent studies to antagonize TNF-alpha in CVD may have various explanations. However, the effects of TNF-alpha blockers on incident cases of congestive heart failure (CHF) in RA remains controversial. Due to the lack of evidence of a beneficial effect of anti-TNF-alpha agents in treatment of CHF, they should not be used to treat patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure.
Animals↗
[Complementary medicine in rheumatoid arthritis].
Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for chronic conditions has increased in recent years. CAM is immensely popular for musculoskeletal conditions and patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) frequently try CAM. This review summarises the trial data for or against CAM as a symptomatic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Collectively the evidence demonstrates that some CAM modalities show significant promise, e.g. acupuncture, diets, herbal medicine, homoeopathy, massage, supplements. However, for the great majority of these therapies no evidencebased (clinical randomised trials) results are available. CAM is usually used in addition to, and not as a substitute for conventional therapies. The motivation of patients to try CAM is complex; the willingness to take control of their healthcare, the desire to try everything available, the mass-media pressure and the erroneous notion that CAM is without risks. In fact, none of these treatments is totally devoid of risks. While the use of complementary and alternative modalities for the treatment of RA continues to increase, rigorous clinical trials examining their efficacy are needed before definitive recommendations regarding the application of these modalities can be made.
Acupuncture Therapy↗
Inflammatory response and the endothelium.
Antiphospholipid-mediated endothelium perturbation plays a role in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)-associated vasculopathy. Antiphospholipid antibodies activate endothelium both in vitro and in vivo experimental models by inducing a pro-inflammatory/-coagulant phenotype; the antibodies recognize beta2 glycoprotein I (beta2GPI) on human endothelial cells (EC) from different parts of the vasculature. In spite of such large in vitro evidence, few studies have addressed the issue whether or not a comparable endothelial perturbation might be detectable in vivo. We investigated several indirect ex vivo parameters of endothelial dysfunction: plasma levels of soluble adhesion molecules (sADM), soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), von Willebrand factor (vWF) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) by solid-phase assays. The study included: patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (n=32), with the syndrome secondary to non-active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n=10), six patients with persistent antiphospholipid positivity at medium/high titre without any clinical manifestation of the syndrome. Fifty-two age and sex matched healthy subjects have been enrolled as controls. In addition, circulating endothelial cells identified by flow cytometry and the brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMV) were evaluated in 26 patients (20 primary and 6 lupus syndromes) and 30 healthy controls. Plasma levels of soluble adhesion molecules did not differ from controls, while a significant increase in von Willebrand factor titres (P<0.05) was found. No significant difference was found regarding the number of circulating endothelial cells and flow-mediated vasodilation. As a whole, these findings do suggest that antiphospholipid antibodies per se are not able to support a full-blown endothelial perturbation in vivo. As shown in antiphospholipid syndrome experimental animal models, a two-hit hypothesis is suggested.
Antiphospholipid Syndrome↗
The Italian version of the Fibrofatigue Scale, a reliable tool for the evaluation of fibromyalgia symptoms.
OBJECTIVE: To validate a translated Italian version of the Fibrofatigue Scale (FFS). METHODS: The Italian version of FFS was administered to 60 patients affected by fibromyalgia (FM) (57 patients were interviewed again 10 days later) together with the Italian version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and the Medical Outcome Survey Short Form-36 (SF-36). All patients were asked about the severity of pain today (10-cm visual analogue scale) and the duration of symptoms. Test-retest reliability was assessed using Spearman correlations. Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha of reliability. Construct validity of the FFS was evaluated by correlations among the FFS, the FIQ and the subscales of the SF-36. RESULTS: Mean duration of symptoms was 7.6 years, and mean age of participants was 56.3 years. Test-retest reliability was between 0.70 and 0.95 for the single items as well as for the total FFS and other components. Internal consistency was 0.90 for the overall FFS. Significant correlations were obtained between the FFS items and the SF-36. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian FFS is a reliable and valid instrument for detecting and measuring functional disability and symptoms severity in Italian patients with FM.
Adult↗
Infliximab-induced lupus in Crohn's disease: a case report.
An 18-year-old male patient was under treatment with infliximab at a dose of 5 mg/kg at Weeks 0, 2 and 6 for refractory Crohn's disease. In June 2002, the patient was admitted to the Outpatient Clinic of the Rheumatology Unit for arthralgia affecting the small joints, non-pruritic crops of purple skin lesions and malar rash in the face. Serum antinuclear antibodies were positive (1:640 speckled pattern), and anti-double-stranded DNA was positive (1:80); moreover, positivity of anti-extractable nuclear antigen was observed. Antihistone antibodies, lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies were negative. A diagnosis of infliximab-induced lupus was made and the drug treatment was withdrawn. However, 3 months after withdrawal of treatment, the patient still showed clinical and laboratory symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus. After 6 months of treatment, systemic lupus erythematosus-related symptoms disappeared and anti-double-stranded DNA returned to normal. The patient is currently under treatment with prednisone 20 mg/day for systemic lupus erythematosus and with oral mesalazine 2.4 mg/day for Crohn's disease. Treatment with infliximab is known to produce an increase of autoantibodies (antinuclear antibodies, anti-double-stranded DNA), but not clinical disease. This is the first case, to our knowledge, of onset of prolonged infliximab-induced lupus.
Adolescent↗
[Drug-induced lupus erythematosus].
Drug-induced lupus is a syndrome which share symptoms and laboratory characteristics with the idiopathic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The list of medications implicated as etiologic agents in drug-induced lupus continues to grow. The terms used for this condition are lupus-like syndrome, drug-induced lupus erythematosus (DILE) and drug related lupus. More than 80 drugs have been associated with DILE. The first case of DILE was reported in 1945 and associated with sulfadiazin. In 1953 it was reported that DILE was related to the use of hydralazine. Drugs responsible for the development of DILE can divided into three groups, but the list of these drugs is quite long because new drugs are included yearly in the list. The syndrome is characterised by arthralgia, myalgia, pleurisy, rash and fever in association with antinuclear antibodies in the serum. Recognition of DILE is important because it usually reverts within a few weeks after stopping the drug.
Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
[Cardiovascular risk factors in systemic lupus erythematosus and in antiphospholipid syndrome].
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder affecting multiple organ systems. Treatment of the disease has contributed dramatically in the long-term survival of the patients and now SLE has become a chronic inflammatory disorder. Present data suggest 5, 10 and 20-year survival rates of 93%, 85% and 68% respectively. Accelerated atherosclerosis and early coronary artery disease have become important causes of death and hospitalisation in SLE patients. Many cardiovascular risk factors can be considered: disease activity (particularly kidney involvement), sedentary life (in nearly 70% of the patients), hyperlipidemia, antiphospholipid antibodies, serum homocysteine and many others. Although traditional risk factors are operative in patients with SLE, the risk for myocardial infarction was increased 8.3 folds after controlling these factors in a study, suggesting that SLE itself was the strongest risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Lipid abnormalities may play a major role in increasing cardiovascular risk in SLE patients who are characterized by elevated triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apolipoprotein (Apo) A-1. Anticardioli-pin antibodies may influence lipid levels in SLE; in particular SLE patients with IgG anticardiolipin antibodies had significantly lower HDL-C compared with patients with no anticardiolipin antibodies. Elevation of serum homocysteine is observed in 15% of SLE patients and is significantly associated with the development of stroke and arterial thrombotic events. The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired thrombotic disorder characterised by recurrent venous or arterial thrombosis or recurrent miscarriages, or both, associated with the presence in the serum of IgG or IgM anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) and/or lupus anticoagulant (LAC). APS may occur as a primary disorder (PAPS) or associated with connective tissue diseases, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus (secondary APS). Primary and secondary APS are both associated with a significant increase of cardiovascular risk.
Antiphospholipid Syndrome↗
The sardinian autoimmunity study. 4. Thyroid and islet cell autoantibodies in sardinian pregnant women at delivery: a cross-sectional study.
A high incidence of autoimmune Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) has been clearly established in Sardinia. Although systematic epidemiological studies are still not available, an increased prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies (ATA) has been documented in the Sardinian adult population as compared to other Italian regions, suggesting that thyroid autoimmune disease may also have increased. We carried out a preliminary study with the aim of determining the prevalence of serological markers of thyroid (anti-thyroperoxydase antibodies, TPOAb) and islet cell (ICA) autoimmunity in a large number (no.=2249) of sera obtained from cord-blood of Sardinian pregnant women at delivery. The prevalence of TPOAb was 11.9%, while ICA were detected in 59 cases (2.6%). A higher prevalence of TPOAb (6/17=35.3%) was found in sera with high ICA titers (> or = 20 JDF-U), as compared to sera with low ICA titers (5-19 JDF-U) and to ICA-negative sera (3/42=7,1%; chi2=5.4, p=0.02 and 258/2190=11,8%; chi2=6.8, p=0.009 respectively). Fourteen women (all ICA-negative) were diabetic: 4 had Type 1 and 10 had gestational DM; due to the low number, no correlation could be established between DM type and TPOAb prevalence and/or titer. These preliminary data indicate that ATA are frequently observed in the general population of Sardinian pregnant women at term. As a consequence, even the frequency of postpartum thyroiditis is expected to be high. Although ATA were not increased in women with clinical overt diabetes, a higher prevalence of ATA was found in women with high titers of circulating ICA. Our results also confirm that Sardinia represents, perhaps for its peculiar genetic characteristics, an ideal place to study organ-specific autoimmunity.
Adolescent↗