Организация научно-исследовательской работы студентов на кафедре акушерства и гинекологии

ПРЕПОДАВАТЕЛЬСКИЙ СОСТАВ МЕДИЦИНСКИХ УЧЕБНЫХ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЙнаучно-исследовательская работаАКУШЕРСТВО /обучГИНЕКОЛОГИЯ /обучСТУДЕНТЫ МЕДИЦИНСКИХ УЧЕБНЫХ ЗАВЕДЕНИ

The Immunopathology of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Leishmania donovani Infection in Sudan

Immune complexes (IC) and antibody production against self-antigens play a pathological key role in the development of autoimmunity that occurs in patients with parasitic infections and rheumatic diseases. My studies have targeted two groups of patients from Sudan; patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In VL patients I studied the functional role of IC and IC-induced cytokine production in the pathogenesis of the disease and their effect on kidney functions. For the Sudanese RA cohort, I performed a comparative study with Swedish RA patients. I also investigated the Sudanese RA cohort for the occurrence of RA-associated autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPA)) and the diagnostic and prognostic impact of these autoantibodies on the clinical outcome. In the VL project, I demonstrated that Sudanese VL patients had elevated serum levels of IC and of IC-induced cytokine levels in vitro. GM-CSF levels were increased in acute VL patients and in VL patients with ongoing sodium stibogluconate treatment, and the only cytokine that correlated to a high degree with circulating IC levels. Cystatin C was shown to be a superior marker of glomerular function as compared to serum creatinine in VL patients. For the RA project, a comparative study was performed in collaboration with the rheumatology unit at Gävle hospital. We concluded that the clinical picture of RA in Sudan was more severe, with more widespread joint involvement and stronger laboratory signs of inflammation when compared to the Swedish RA patients. ACPA and RF are both included in the new 2010 RA classification criteria. In many RA studies over the world the occurrence of ACPA and RF varies considerably, this may be due to both geographical differences and lack of standardization for RF and anti-CCP in the RA criteria. But in this study we aligned all antibodies to the same diagnostic specificity compared to Sudanese healthy controls. When doing so we determined that IgA RF had the highest diagnostic sensitivity, a finding that differs from Caucasian studies in which IgM RF predominates. IgG RF was also the autoantibody most strongly associated with early age of disease onset and hand deformities, a clinical picture that differs in most Caucasian studies in which ACPA are the strongest markers for bad prognosis. Thus data from this Sudanese RA cohort implies significant clinical and immunological differences compared to Caucasian RA patients

The Immunopathology of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Leishmania donovani Infection in Sudan

Immune complexes (IC) and antibody production against self-antigens play a pathological key role in the development of autoimmunity that occurs in patients with parasitic infections and rheumatic diseases. My studies have targeted two groups of patients from Sudan; patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In VL patients I studied the functional role of IC and IC-induced cytokine production in the pathogenesis of the disease and their effect on kidney functions. For the Sudanese RA cohort, I performed a comparative study with Swedish RA patients. I also investigated the Sudanese RA cohort for the occurrence of RA-associated autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPA)) and the diagnostic and prognostic impact of these autoantibodies on the clinical outcome. In the VL project, I demonstrated that Sudanese VL patients had elevated serum levels of IC and of IC-induced cytokine levels in vitro. GM-CSF levels were increased in acute VL patients and in VL patients with ongoing sodium stibogluconate treatment, and the only cytokine that correlated to a high degree with circulating IC levels. Cystatin C was shown to be a superior marker of glomerular function as compared to serum creatinine in VL patients. For the RA project, a comparative study was performed in collaboration with the rheumatology unit at Gävle hospital. We concluded that the clinical picture of RA in Sudan was more severe, with more widespread joint involvement and stronger laboratory signs of inflammation when compared to the Swedish RA patients. ACPA and RF are both included in the new 2010 RA classification criteria. In many RA studies over the world the occurrence of ACPA and RF varies considerably, this may be due to both geographical differences and lack of standardization for RF and anti-CCP in the RA criteria. But in this study we aligned all antibodies to the same diagnostic specificity compared to Sudanese healthy controls. When doing so we determined that IgA RF had the highest diagnostic sensitivity, a finding that differs from Caucasian studies in which IgM RF predominates. IgG RF was also the autoantibody most strongly associated with early age of disease onset and hand deformities, a clinical picture that differs in most Caucasian studies in which ACPA are the strongest markers for bad prognosis. Thus data from this Sudanese RA cohort implies significant clinical and immunological differences compared to Caucasian RA patients

The Immunopathology of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Leishmania donovani Infection in Sudan

Immune complexes (IC) and antibody production against self-antigens play a pathological key role in the development of autoimmunity that occurs in patients with parasitic infections and rheumatic diseases. My studies have targeted two groups of patients from Sudan; patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In VL patients I studied the functional role of IC and IC-induced cytokine production in the pathogenesis of the disease and their effect on kidney functions. For the Sudanese RA cohort, I performed a comparative study with Swedish RA patients. I also investigated the Sudanese RA cohort for the occurrence of RA-associated autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPA)) and the diagnostic and prognostic impact of these autoantibodies on the clinical outcome. In the VL project, I demonstrated that Sudanese VL patients had elevated serum levels of IC and of IC-induced cytokine levels in vitro. GM-CSF levels were increased in acute VL patients and in VL patients with ongoing sodium stibogluconate treatment, and the only cytokine that correlated to a high degree with circulating IC levels. Cystatin C was shown to be a superior marker of glomerular function as compared to serum creatinine in VL patients. For the RA project, a comparative study was performed in collaboration with the rheumatology unit at Gävle hospital. We concluded that the clinical picture of RA in Sudan was more severe, with more widespread joint involvement and stronger laboratory signs of inflammation when compared to the Swedish RA patients. ACPA and RF are both included in the new 2010 RA classification criteria. In many RA studies over the world the occurrence of ACPA and RF varies considerably, this may be due to both geographical differences and lack of standardization for RF and anti-CCP in the RA criteria. But in this study we aligned all antibodies to the same diagnostic specificity compared to Sudanese healthy controls. When doing so we determined that IgA RF had the highest diagnostic sensitivity, a finding that differs from Caucasian studies in which IgM RF predominates. IgG RF was also the autoantibody most strongly associated with early age of disease onset and hand deformities, a clinical picture that differs in most Caucasian studies in which ACPA are the strongest markers for bad prognosis. Thus data from this Sudanese RA cohort implies significant clinical and immunological differences compared to Caucasian RA patients

Anti-Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies in Sudanese Patients with Leishmania donovani Infection Exhibit Reactivity not Dependent on Citrullination

African patients with Leishmania donovani infections have signs of strong systemic inflammation and high levels of circulating immune complexes (IC) and rheumatoid factor (RF), all serologic markers of rheumatic disease. As inflammation in general is associated with citrullination, we sought to investigate ACPA responses in Sudanese Leishmania patients. Serum samples were collected from Sudanese patients with visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) as well as from ACPA-positive Sudanese rheumatoid arthritis patients and compared to healthy Sudanese controls. Levels of circulating C1q-binding IC and anticyclic citrullinated peptide 2(CCP2) were investigated using ELISA, and RF was measured with nephelometry. C1q adsorption was carried out to investigate anti-CCP2 content in IC. Citrulline specificity was evaluated with control plates with cyclic arginine-containing control peptides. Leishmania-infected patients had elevated levels of RF and circulating IC but also a significant increase in anti-CCP2 (12%) as compared to healthy controls. Anti-CCP2-positive Leishmania patients displayed lower anti-CCP2 levels than Sudanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and anti-CCP2 levels in Leishmania patients showed a continuum not resembling the dichotomous pattern seen in patients with RA. Whereas the anti-CCP reactivity of Sudanese RA sera was strictly citrulline dependent, anti-CCP2-positive Leishmania sera reacted equally well with ELISA plates containing arginine control peptides. There was a strong correlation between anti-CCP2 and circulating IC among the Leishmania patients, but IC depletion only marginally diminished anti-CCP2 levels. Our findings stress the importance to interpret a positive CCP test carefully when evaluated in non-rheumatic conditions associated with macrophage activation

Occurrence of anti-CCP2 and RF isotypes and their relation to age and disease severity among Sudanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 antibodies (anti-CCP2) and rheumatoid factor (RF) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been extensively assessed in industrialized countries. We investigated the diagnostic and prognostic impact of anti-CCP2 and RF isotypes in a Sudanese cross-sectional RA cohort. Methods Consecutive RA patients (n=281) diagnosed according to the 1987 ACR criteria were included 2008-2010. Anti-CCP2 and RF isotypes (IgA, IgM, and IgG) were measured by enzyme immunoassay in 262 patients, with reference intervals aligned to the same diagnostic specificity as for anti-CCP2 (97.6%) using national controls. Results IgA RF was the predominant RA-associated autoantibody (56%), followed by IgM RF and anti-CCP2 (both 52%) and IgG RF (49%). In receiver operator characteristic analysis, IgA RF also showed the largest area under the curve. Patients with IgG RF were younger and had 8years lower median age of disease onset compared to antibody negative patients (p<0.0001). IgG RF was the only marker associated with a high number of involved joints (p=0.028), and together with anti-CCP2 were the strongest markers for finger deformities (p=0.016 and p=0.012), respectively. No statistical differences were found for disease duration, ESR and Hb levels, and occurrence of erosions/osteopenia for any of the investigated autoantibodies. Conclusion Whereas IgA RF showed the best diagnostic performance, IgG RF associated with low age of RA onset, high number of involved joints, and finger deformities. These findings indicate that RA-associated antibodies other than conventional IgM RF and anti-CCP2 might be informative in non-Caucasian RA populations

Active Rheumatoid Arthritis in Central Africa : A Comparative Study Between Sudan and Sweden

Objective. To compare clinical characteristics and treatment between simultaneously investigated Sudanese and Swedish outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Outpatients with RA from Sudan (n = 281) and Sweden (n = 542) diagnosed according to the 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria were recruited between December 2008 and September 2010 and compared concerning clinical presentation, treatment, and laboratory findings, including immunoglobulin M with rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF). Results. Sudanese patients had lower inclusion age (median 49 vs 68 yrs), disease duration (48 vs 107 mos), and disease onset age (43 vs 56 yrs) as compared with Swedish patients (p < 0.0001 for all). When stratified concerning the age of inclusion, Swedish patients between 41-50 years had, however, a significantly lower age of onset, with a similar trend for all age groups above 30 years. The female preponderance was higher among Sudanese patients (89.3% vs 72.5%, p < 0.0001), and smoking was nonexistent among Sudanese female patients (p < 0.0001). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels and number of tender joints were significantly higher among Sudanese patients. The proportion of IgM-RF positivity was lower among Sudanese patients with RA (52.4% vs 75.5%, p < 0.0001). Higher proportions of Sudanese patients with RA were treated with methotrexate (MTX) and disease-modifying antirheumatic drug combinations, but none of them used biologics. Sudanese patients used lower doses of MTX and sulfasalazine (p < 0.0001) and higher doses of prednisolone (p < 0.0001) than Swedish patients. Conclusion. Sudanese patients with RA have significantly higher disease activity and are often IgM-RF-seronegative. Together with reports from Uganda and Cameroon, our data indicate a cluster of highly active and often seronegative RA in central Africa

Sudanese and Swedish patients with systemic lupus erythematosus : immunological and clinical comparisons

OBJECTIVE: SLE is known to have an aggressive phenotype in black populations, but data from African cohorts are largely lacking. We therefore compared immunological and clinical profiles between Sudanese and Swedish patients using similar tools. METHODS: Consecutive SLE patients from Sudan (n = 115) and Sweden (n = 340) and from 106 Sudanese and 318 Swedish age- and sex-matched controls were included. All patients fulfilled the 1982 ACR classification criteria for SLE. Ten ANA-associated specificities and C1q-binding immune complexes (CICs) were measured. Cut-offs were established based on Sudanese and Swedish controls, respectively. Disease activity was measured with a modified SLEDAI and organ damage with the SLICC Damage Index. In a nested case-control design, Swedish and Sudanese patients were matched for age and disease duration. RESULTS: Females constituted 95.6% and 88.1% of Sudanese and Swedish patients, respectively (P = 0.02), with younger age at inclusion (33 vs 47.7 years; P &lt; 0.0001) and shorter disease duration (5 vs 14 years; P &lt; 0.0001) among Sudanese patients. Anti-Sm antibodies were more frequent in Sudanese patients, whereas anti-dsDNA, anti-histone and CICs were higher in Swedish patients. In the matched analyses, there was a trend for higher SLEDAI among Swedes. However, Sudanese patients had more damage, solely attributed to high frequencies of cranial/peripheral neuropathy and diabetes. CONCLUSION: While anti-Sm is more common in Sudan than in Sweden, the opposite is found for anti-dsDNA. Sudanese patients had higher damage scores, mainly because of neuropathy and diabetes. Sudanese patients were younger, with a shorter SLE duration, possibly indicating a more severe disease course with impact on survival rates.De två sista författarna delar sistaförfattarskapet</p