COST ANALYSIS RELATED TO SUBCUTANEOUS IMMUNOGLOBULINS IN PATIENTS WITH INFLAMMATORY MYOPATHIES AND IMMUNE-MEDIATED CHRONIC NEUROPATHIES. RESULTS OF AN OPEN LABEL STUDY

Background: Intravenous Immunoglobulins (IVIg) represent a relevant treatment option in various immune-mediated disorders such as idiopathic inflammatory muscle diseases (IIMD), immune-mediated chronic neuropathies (IMCN), hematologic autoimmune diseases, Still disease, Felty syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, some organ-specific autoimmune disease, and atopic diseases. The IVIg treatment is expensive and need of hospital-based assistance for administration; the recent avaibility of home-therapy with subcutaneous immunoglobulins (SCIg) may significantly reduce costs and improve the patient's quality of life. Objectives: The primary objective was to perform an analysis of costs of SCIg administration in patients affected by IIMD or IMCN compared to that of previous IVIg treatments. Methods: We prospectively evaluated 6 consecutive patients (3 males and 3 females, mean age 65,3 years, range 63 - 77), 2 affected by IIMD in the context of polymiositis and 4 by IMCN, 3 in the context of vasculitis and 1 in the context of undifferentiated connective tissue disease. All patients were previously treated with IVIg at the dosage of 2g/Kg monthly, (mean monthly dosage 143 g, range 98 – 160, average patient weight 71,5 kg, range 49 - 80), with good clinical and humoral response. After a mean therapy duration of 49.8 months (range 12 – 125) all patients were shifted to SCIg at the dosage of 10 g twice a week (80 g monthly). Each patient was followed-up by humoral and clinical evaluation, including Medical Research Council (MRC) score to quantify muscle strength and INCAT Sensory Score to evaluate sensory symptoms. The costs of the two therapeutic strategies were also compared, excluding indirect costs (absences from work and productivity losses, transport and parking, health care sector costs). Results: In 5/6 patients, we observed the maintenance of clinical and humoral status after a mean follow-up of 21 months (range 4 - 51), in particular we observed a stability in MRC score in patients presenting loss of strenght and INCAT score in patients presenting sensory symptoms. Furthermore, the treatment with SCIg was well-accepted and preferred to IVIg by all patients. In one patient SCIg were discontinued after 2 weeks, because of the appearance of a haemorrhagic lesions nearby the injection site (in the same patient IVIg have been stopped because of a hypertensive crisis during the infusion). Direct cost associated to IVIg amount to 252€ for 5 g of immunoglobulins (7,056€ monthly, considering a protocol of 2 g/kg/monthly and a patient-weight of 70kg), while direct costs associated to SCIg (20g weekly) amount to 6,400€/monthly, with a saving of 656€/monthly and 7,872€/yearly. In our case-series the annual saving was 9,686.40€/patient (from 86,486.40€ to 76,800€, for IVIg and SCIg, respectively). Conclusions: Our experience suggests that the shift to SCIg from IVIg in patients affected by IIMD and IMCN is feasible, cost-effective, safe and well-accepted by patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of SCIg in first-line therapy of these diseases

Gynaecological Screening for Cervical and Vulvar Malignancies in a Cohort of Systemic Sclerosis Patients: Our Experience and Review of the Literature

Background. Increased incidence of cancer was frequently reported in scleroderma (SSc), but no association with gynaecological malignancies was described in literature. Objectives. To investigate gynaecological neoplasms in SSc patients. Methods. In this cross-sectional analysis, we evaluated 80 SSc patients, living in the same geographical area. We considered all patients undergoing gynaecological evaluation, including pap test as screening for cervical cancer, between January 2008 and December 2014. Results. 55 (68.7%) patients were negative and 20 (25%) presented inflammatory alterations, while cancer or precancerous lesions were found in 5 (6.2%) cases (2 showed cervical cancer (one of them in situ), 1 vulvar melanoma, 1 vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, and 1 endocervical polyp with immature squamous metaplasia). The frequency of cervical cancer in our series seems higher in comparison to the incidence registered in the same geographical area. The presence of atypical cytological findings correlated with anti-Scl70 autoantibodies (p = 0.022); moreover, the patients with these alterations tended to be older (median 65, range 46-67), if compared to the whole series (p = 0.052). Conclusions. A relatively high frequency of gynaecological malignancies was found in our SSc series. In general, gynaecological evaluation for SSc women needs to be included in the routine patients' surveillance

SEVERE VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

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DIGITAL NECROSIS IN SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS NOT ONLY A MICROVASCULAR DISEASE: A CASE REPORT

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Fra l’idea e la realtà cade l’ombra. Il Responsabile Unico del Procedimento tra responsabilità e valutazione

Il tema portante della pubblicazione è la responsabilità. Se ne illustra la nozione da un punto di vista concettuale, etico, giuridico e la sis inserisce con efficacia nel contesto di riforma della pubblica amministrazione, di cui il Rup è figura strategica. Si articola in quattro capitoli, suddivisi ciascuno in due sezioni, che analizzano L'esercizio della responsabilità, il rapporto tra la responsabilità e la conoscenza, la responsabilità e la tutela dei diritti, la responsabilità nell'apprendimento organizzativo, l'organizzazione e la sicurezza, le competenze, la responsabilità in azione, la comunità di pratic

Large Vessel Vasculitis Occurring in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient under Anti-TNF Therapy

Vasculitis is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the presence of necrotic inflammatory phenomena and destruction of blood vessels. Vasculitis is classified as primary (idiopathic) or secondary to infections, connective tissue diseases and drugs but can also be considered as a paraneoplastic phenomenon. Evidence shows that the increasing use of biological agents results in a growing number of reports of autoimmune diseases induced by these therapies. An inflammatory articular chronic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis may be complicated by extra-articular manifestations, such as cutaneous or systemic vasculitis. Herewith, we describe the case of a great vessels arteritis in a patient affected by rheumatoid arthritis in therapy with an anti-TNF agent (etanercept)

Prevalence and evolution of scleroderma pattern at nailfold videocapillaroscopy in systemic sclerosis patients: Clinical and prognostic implications

Background: Microvascular involvement plays a decisive role in systemic sclerosis (SSc) pathogenesis occurring early in the course of the disease. Microangiopathy is responsible of important clinical manifestations, such as Raynaud's phenomenon, digital ulceration, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Typical microvascular alterations, called scleroderma pattern, are detectable at nailfold capillaroscopy in a significant percentage of SSc patients: however its prevalence is highly variable in published studies. Aim: The aims of this study are to evaluate the prevalence and the evolution of scleroderma pattern in SSc patients and analyze their demographic, clinical and prognostic characteristics according to capillaroscopic features. Methods: Two hundred and seventy-five SSc patients, underwent at least two nailfold videocapillaroscopy during follow-up, were retrospectively enrolled. Results: A scleroderma pattern was observed in 80% of patients at baseline and 87.1% during follow-up, and it was significantly associated to digital ulcers, interstitial lung disease, reduction of diffusion lung of carbon monoxide <75%, teleangectasias and melanodermia, while sicca syndrome and arthralgias were associated to normal/nonspecific pattern. Digital ulcers, teleangectasias, sicca syndrome, and arthralgias remained independently associated with scleroderma pattern on multivariate analysis. In conclusion, the main clinical manifestation correlated with scleroderma pattern is the occurrence of digital ulcers, and their appearance is strictly correlated with the variation of capillaroscopic feature during the time. Further studies should confirm the association between SSc pattern and lung fibrosis.Background: Microvascular involvement plays a decisive role in systemic sclerosis (SSc) pathogenesis occurring early in the course of the disease. Microangiopathy is responsible of important clinical manifestations, such as Raynaud's phenomenon, digital ulceration, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Typical microvascular alterations, called scleroderma pattern, are detectable at nailfold capillaroscopy in a significant percentage of SSc patients; however its prevalence is highly variable in published studies. Aim: The aims of this study are to evaluate the prevalence and the evolution of scleroderma pattern in SSc patients and analyze their demographic, clinical and prognostic characteristics according to capillaroscopic features. Methods: Two hundred and seventy-five SSc patients, underwent at least two nailfold videocapillaroscopy during follow-up, were retrospectively enrolled. Results: A scleroderma pattern was observed in 80% of patients at baseline and 87.1% during follow-up, and it was significantly associated to digital ulcers, interstitial lung disease, reduction of diffusion lung of carbon monoxide <. 75%, teleangectasias and melanodermia, while sicca syndrome and arthralgias were associated to normal/nonspecific pattern. Digital ulcers, teleangectasias, sicca syndrome, and arthralgias remained independently associated with scleroderma pattern on multivariate analysis.In conclusion, the main clinical manifestation correlated with scleroderma pattern is the occurrence of digital ulcers, and their appearance is strictly correlated with the variation of capillaroscopic feature during the time. Further studies should confirm the association between SSc pattern and lung fibrosis

Unusual association between Budd–Chiari syndrome secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome and relapsing polychondritis: a case report and review of the literature

Relapsing polychondritis is a rare immune-mediated condition, characterized by episodic inflammation of the cartilaginous tissue, in particular the ears, nose, and eyes, and involvement of joints and respiratory tract. Nearly one third of patients showed other associated diseases, such as systemic vasculitides, connective tissue diseases, or myelodysplastic syndromes. Antiphospholipid antibodies can be found in relapsing polychondritis in patients with no clinical thrombotic disease. However, when antiphospholipid syndrome is present, its clinical manifestations can be severe and life threatening. We describe the case of a patient with relapsing polychondritis associated to Budd–Chiari syndrome due to antiphospholipid syndrome. The present clinical observations together with the updated review of the literature suggest a search for antiphospholipid antibodies in all patients with relapsing polychondritis

Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy Alterations in Dermatomyositis and Systemic Sclerosis: Toward Identification of a Specific Pattern

The term scleroderma pattern typically defines capillary abnormalities of scleroderma spectrum disorders, mainly systemic sclerosis (SSc) and dermatomyositis (DM). Our study aimed to investigate differences in nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) between DM and SSc, with a cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluation. METHODS: NVC features of 29 consecutive patients with DM were compared with 90 patients with SSc categorized into the 3 subsets of scleroderma pattern: early, active, and late. Twenty patients with DM and all with SSc were also longitudinally reevaluated after 30 months of followup. RESULTS: At baseline, all SSc groups showed giant capillaries, with significant differences with DM only for early and active pattern. Ramified capillaries were significantly more frequent and severe in DM than in early and active patterns, while DM showed an opposite trend compared with late pattern. Capillary loss was lower in early pattern and higher in active and late, compared with DM. Finally, giant-ramified capillaries were almost exclusive of DM. During followup, NVC showed a different evolution in DM and SSc. In DM we recorded a reduction of giant capillaries, while ramified capillaries increased both in DM and in early and active SSc pattern. The number of capillaries recovered in DM; conversely, capillary loss slightly worsened in all SSc patterns. Giant-ramified capillaries significantly decreased in patients with DM, remaining rare in patients with SSc. CONCLUSION: Our study strengthens the specificity of DM and SSc microangiopathy and points out the need for large prospective studies to confirm our results and possibly to revise current terminology by distinguishing between "scleroderma" and "dermatomyositis" patterns