Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Psoriatic Arthritis Treated with Sequential, Multiple Anti-TNF-α Agents: A Case Report

Data obtained by large observational studies and meta-analysis indicate the absence of an increased risk of lymphoma related to therapy with anti-TNF-α, but there is limited information in literature about the safety of sequential, multiple biological agents therapy for a time longer than three years. We hereby present a case of psoriatic arthritis developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma after a six-year history of poorly effective therapy with different anti-TNF-α

Beyond cat scratch disease: a case report of bartonella infection mimicking vasculitic disorder

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial disease caused by Bartonella henselae and it is mainly characterized by self-limiting lymphadenopathy in the draining site of a cat scratch or bite. We report a patient with history of fever, swelling lymph nodes, vasculitic-like skin lesions, and positivity of Bartonella serology initially considered as expression of a disimmune disease

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)

Validation study of predictive value of capillaroscopic skin ulcer risk index (CSURI) in scleroderma patients treated with bosentan

In this validation study, the predictive value of capillaroscopic skin ulcer risk index (CSURI) in scleroderma patients treated with bosentan has been investigated. Seventy-six consecutive SSc patients treated with bosentan 125 mg bid were enrolled in a multicentre study. The area under the curve was 0.69 (95%CI 0.57-0.79, p=0.0019) and, at the validated cut-off value of 2.96, sensitivity was 86.1%, specificity 60.0%, positive and negative likehood ratio 2.15 and 0.23, while negative and positive predictive values were 82.1% and 64.6%, respectively. CSURI showed a lower negative predictive value in the bosentan group when compared with the control group, while the positive predictive value was similar