The double-sided of human leukocyte antigen-G molecules in type 1 autoimmune hepatitis

The immunomodulatory effects of HLA-G expression and its role in cancers, human liver infections and liver transplantation are well documented, but so far, there are only a few reports addressing autoimmune liver diseases, particularly autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Method and materialsWe analyzed the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of HLA-G in 205 type 1 AIH patients (AIH-1) and a population of 210 healthy controls from Sardinia (Italy). ResultsAnalysis of the HLA-G locus showed no substantial differences in allele frequencies between patients and the healthy control population. The HLA-G UTR-1 haplotype was the most prevalent in both AIH-1 patients and controls (40.24% and 34.29%). Strong linkage was found between the HLA-G UTR-1 haplotype and HLA-DRB1*03:01 in AIH-1 patients but not controls (D' = 0.92 vs D' = 0.50 respectively; P = 1.3x10(-8)). Soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) levels were significantly lower in AIH-1 patients compared to controls [13.9 (11.6 - 17.4) U/mL vs 21.3 (16.5 - 27.8) U/mL; P = 0.011]. Twenty-four patients with mild or moderate inflammatory involvement, as assessed from liver biopsy, showed much higher sHLA-G levels compared to the 28 patients with severe liver inflammation [33.5 (23.6 - 44.8) U/mL vs 8.8 (6.1 - 14.5) U/mL; P = 0.003]. Finally, immunohistochemistry analysis of 52 liver biopsies from AIH-1 patients did not show expression of HLA-G molecules in the liver parenchyma. However, a percentage of 69.2% (36/52) revealed widespread expression of HLA-G both in the cytoplasm and the membrane of plasma cells labeled with anti-HLA-G monoclonal antibodies. ConclusionThis study highlights the positive immunomodulatory effect of HLA-G molecules on the clinical course of AIH-1 and how this improvement closely correlates with plasma levels of sHLA-G. However, our results open the debate on the ambiguous role of HLA-G molecules expressed by plasma cells, which are pathognomonic features of AIH-1

Narcolepsy Severity Scale: a reliable tool assessing symptom severity and consequences

International audienceObjectives To define clinically relevant Narcolepsy Severity Scale (NSS) score ranges, confirm its main performances and sensitivity to medications, and determine whether items need to be weighted. Methods One hundred and forty-three consecutive untreated and 238 treated adults with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) completed the NSS, a 15-item self-administered questionnaire (score: 0–57) that assesses the severity and consequences of the five major narcolepsy symptoms such as daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and disturbed nighttime sleep (DNS). They also completed the Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS; daytime sleepiness), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; depressive symptoms), and EQ5D (quality of life). Results The mean symptom number (4.3 vs 3.5), NSS total score (33.3 ± 9.4 vs 24.3 ± 10.2), and number of narcolepsy symptoms (five symptoms: 53.1% vs 24.8%; four symptoms: 26.6% vs 22.7%; three symptoms: 15.4% vs 32.4%; two symptoms: 4.9% vs 20.2%) were significantly different between untreated and treated patients (p < 0.0001). DNS was often the third symptom (95.5 per cent). The symptom number was associated with diagnosis delay, age at onset, and ESS and BDI scores. Comparisons with ESS, BDI and EQ5D showed that NSS item weighting was not necessary to highlight between-group differences. Four NSS severity levels were defined (mild, moderate, severe, and very severe) with between-group differences related to treatment. The probability of having ESS ≥ 16, BDI ≥ 20, and EQ-5D < 60 increased with the severity level. Conclusion NSS is valid, reliable, and responsive to treatment in patients with NT1, with four clinically relevant severity score ranges provided. NSS has adequate clinimetric properties for broadening its use for both clinic and research

Diagnostic criteria for disorders of arousal: A video-polysomnographic assessment

International audienceOBJECTIVE: To assess video-polysomnographic (vPSG) criteria and their cutoff values for the diagnosis of disorders of arousal (DOAs; sleepwalking, sleep terror). METHODS: One hundred sixty adult patients with DOAs and 50 sex- and age-matched healthy participants underwent a clinical evaluation and vPSG assessment to quantify slow wave sleep (SWS) interruptions (SWS fragmentation index, slow/mixed and fast arousal ratios, and indexes per hour) and the associated behaviors. First, a case-control analysis was performed in 100 patients and the 50 controls to define the optimal cutoff values using receiver operating characteristic curves. Their sensitivity was then assessed in the other 60 patients with DOAs. RESULTS: The SWS fragmentation index and the mixed, slow, and slow/mixed arousal indexes and ratios were higher in patients with DOAs than controls. The highest area under the curve (AUC) values were obtained for the SWS fragmentation and slow/mixed arousal indexes (AUC = 0.88 and 0.90, respectively). The SWS fragmentation index cutoff value of 6.8/h reached a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 82%. The slow/mixed arousal index had a sensitivity of 94% for the 2.5/h cutoff, and 100% specificity for 6/h. Both parameters showed good interrater agreement, and their sensitivities were confirmed in the second group of patients. Combining electroencephalographic parameters and video-based behavioral analyses increased the correct classification rate up to 91.3%. INTERPRETATION: Frequent slow/mixed arousals in SWS and complex behaviors during vPSG are strongly associated with DOAs, and could be promising biomarkers for the diagnosis of non-rapid eye movement parasomnias. Ann Neurol 2018;83:341-351

Blood pressure profile and endothelial function in restless legs syndrome

International audienceRestless legs syndrome (RLS) is frequently comorbid with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases; however this relationship and underlying mechanisms remain controversial. After clinical evaluation, 84 drug-free patients with primary RLS (53 women; mean age 55.1 ± 12.3 years) and 76 controls (47 women; mean age 52.2 ± 15.3 years) underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and polysomnographic monitoring, and peripheral arterial tonometry to assess endothelial function for 61 patients and 69 controls. Hypertension was diagnosed in 11.9% of patients with RLS based on office measurement, and in 46.4% on the 24 h recording, with nighttime hypertension, two times more frequent than daytime hypertension. Periodic limb movement during sleep (PLMS), markers of sleep fragmentation, and systolic and mean BP non-dipping profile were more frequent among patients. BP non-dipping status was associated with older age, later RLS onset and diagnosis, RLS severity and higher sleep fragmentation. The mean 24-hour, daytime and nighttime BP values, the frequency of hypertension and the endothelial function were comparable between groups. However, both systolic and diastolic BP trajectories over a 24-hour period differed between groups. In conclusion, patients with RLS exhibit a 24-hour BP deregulation with increased frequency of systolic non-dipping profiles that could worsen the risk for CVD morbidity and mortality

Systematic assessment of autonomic symptoms in restless legs syndrome

International audienceObjectives: To compare the clinical features of autonomic dysfunction using the SCOPA-AUT questionnaire in untreated patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) with controls, to identify factors associated with more severe autonomic symptoms, and to assess the effect of medication in patients.Methods: The SCOPA-AUT questionnaire that evaluates cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, urinary, thermoregulatory, pupillomotor, and sexual dysfunctions was completed by 409 consecutive untreated patients with RLS (54.1 ± 14.5 y.o; 265 women) and 331 controls (59.0 ± 17.0; 161 women). Clinical and polysomnographic data were assessed in all patients. A subgroup of 57 patients were evaluated a second time after treatment (mostly dopaminergic agonist) after an interval of 0.88 ± 1.42 year.Results: Compared to controls, untreated patients with RLS were younger, more often women, obese, with increased cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The SCOPA-AUT total score was higher in patients than controls in unadjusted and adjusted models. Patients had more autonomic symptoms in all subdomains of the scale (except for sexual dysfunction in men). These results were confirmed in a subgroup of 259 cases and age-sex-matched controls. Female gender, obesity, RLS severity, diabetes mellitus, CVD, sleepiness, insomnia and depressive symptoms but neither periodic legs movements during sleep (PLMS) nor objective sleep parameters were associated with high scores. Despite RLS and PLMS improvement, medication did not change total and subdomain scores.Conclusions: Patients with RLS have frequent and large spectrum of autonomic symptoms, without effect of PLMS, sleep fragmentation and medication. These results suggest a global autonomic dysfunction in RLS that should be assessed more systematically in severe patients

Measurement of Narcolepsy Symptoms in School-Aged Children and Adolescents

International audienceObjective We validated the Narcolepsy Severity Scale (NSS) in adults with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) to quantify the severity, frequency, and consequences of the 5 key narcolepsy symptoms over the last month, and we now developed the Pediatric NSS (NSS-P); thus, the aims of this study were to assess NSS-P psychometric properties, validity, and reliability, and to evaluate its responsiveness to treatment in a well-characterized sample of children and adolescents with NT1. Methods The NSS was reformulated for children, and the item about driving was removed. The total score of the 14-item NSS-P ranges from 0 to 54, and higher scores reflect more severe disease. Children and adolescents (n = 209, 6–17 years of age) with NT1 diagnosed in 2 Reference Centers for Narcolepsy in France were consecutively asked to fill in the NSS-P. The scale was fully and correctly completed by 160 (10–18 years of age, 68 untreated). Moreover, 65 participants completed it twice (33 before/during treatment, and 32 under the same treatment). The NSS-P psychometric properties, score changes before/during treatment, and convergent validity with other clinical parameters were assessed. Results The NSS-P showed adequate psychometric properties with significant item–total score correlations. Factor analysis indicated a 4-factor solution with good reliability. The NSS-P score was lower in treated than untreated patients with a mean difference of 3.71 ± 1.45, with a minimum clinically important difference between untreated and treated patients in the longitudinal sample estimated at 4 points. Four severity levels were defined (mild, moderate, severe, very severe) with between-group differences related to treatment. The NSS-P total score was associated with self-reported sleepiness, insomnia, and depressive symptoms. Its temporal stability was satisfactory. Discussion We validated a brief instrument to assess NT1 symptom frequency, severity, and consequences in ≥10-year-old children and adolescents with 4 clinically relevant severity score ranges. This scale constitutes a relevant tool to improve and provide guidance for NT1 management in pediatric populations. The ease of administration, its good psychometric properties, and its sensitivity to detect symptom changes after treatment ensure future use of the NSS-P in clinical and research settings

Association of CSF Orexin-A levels and nocturnal sleep stability in patients with hypersomnolence

International audienceObjective To evaluate the associations between CSF orexin-A (ORX) levels and markers of nocturnal sleep stability, assessed by polysomnography.Methods Nocturnal polysomnography data and ORX levels of 300 drug-free participants (55% men, 29.9±15.5 years, ORX level 155.1±153.7 pg/mL) with hypersomnolence were collected. Several markers of nocturnal sleep stability were analyzed: sleep and wake bouts and sleep/wake transitions. Groups were categorized according to ORX levels, in 2 categories (deficient ≤110; >110), in tertiles (≤26, 26–254, >254), and compared using logistic regression models. Results were adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index.Results We found higher number of wake bouts (43 vs 25, p 32 minutes 30 seconds: 7.3% vs 18.3%, p < 0.0001), when ORX deficient. These findings were confirmed when groups were categorized according to ORX tertiles, with a dose–response effect of ORX levels in post hoc comparisons, and in adjusted models.Interpretation This study shows an association between ORX levels and nocturnal sleep stabilization in patients with hypersomnolence. Sleep and wake bouts are reliable markers of nighttime sleep stability that correlate with CSF ORX levels in a dose-dependent manner

CSF and serum ferritin levels in narcolepsy type 1 comorbid with restless legs syndrome

International audienceTo investigate whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum ferritin levels differ between patients with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) comorbid with restless legs syndrome (RLS) or periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS), and patients with NT1 or controls without comorbid RLS or PLMS

Hepcidin and ferritin levels in restless legs syndrome: a case–control study

International audienceThe association between restless legs syndrome (RLS) and iron homeostasis remains unclear. We compared serum hepcidin and ferritin levels in patients with RLS and controls, and assessed their relationships with RLS phenotype, drug intake, and history of augmentation syndrome. 102 drug-free RLS patients (age 58.9 [24.5-77.2], 63 females) and 73 controls (age 56.8 [23.46-76.6], 45 females) underwent a polysomnography recording. Hepcidin levels were quantified by ELISA. 34 RLS patients had a second assessment after starting dopaminergic drugs. Ferritin level was low (< 50 µg/l) in 14.7% of patients and 25% of controls, with no between-group differences in the mean values. Hepcidin levels were higher in patients even after adjustment for confounding factors, and excluding participants with low ferritin levels. Ferritin and hepcidin levels were comparable before and after treatment, and between patients with (n = 17) and without history of augmentation. Ferritin and hepcidin levels correlated with age, body mass index, and periodic leg movements. Higher hepcidin levels were associated with older age, older age at RLS onset, less daytime sleepiness and familial RLS. In conclusion, serum hepcidin levels but not ferritin were higher in RLS patients regardless of treatment and history of augmentation. Serum hepcidin may be a more relevant biomarker of RLS than ferritin