Adalimumab Monotherapy in a Patient with Psoriatic Arthritis Associated with Chronic Renal Failure on Hemodialysis: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report a patient with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who was successfully treated with adalimumab even while under hemodialysis therapy for associated chronic renal failure. Flow cytometry of circulating lymphocytes revealed an obvious decrease in both Th1 and Th17 cells after starting adalimumab. The latter returned to the pretreatment level in the course of adalimumab therapy, while the former did not. Adalimumab is a potent therapeutic option for PsA patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis, and Th1 in peripheral blood may reflect the disease activity

Marked shrinkage of amyloid lymphadenopathy after an intensive chemotherapy in a patient with IgM-associated AL amyloidosis

This is an electronic version of an article published in Amyloid 2009, Vol. 16, No. 3 : Pages 183-185. Amyloid is available online at: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13506120903151825A male patient with primary AL amyloidosis who had been suffering from systemic lymphadenopathy with IgM kappa-type M-proteinemia received two courses of VAD and high-dose melphalan with in vivo elimination of CD20(+) cells using rituximab followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Four years after complete hematological remission he showed marked reduction in size of the amyloid-laden lymph nodes. Deposits of AL amyloid may regress from the tissue if the chemotherapy succeeds in persistent inhibition of the production of amyloidogenic immunoglobulin light chains.ArticleAMYLOID. 16(3):183-185 (2009)journal articl

Rituximab therapy in nephrotic syndrome due to AH amyloidosis

This is an electronic version of an article published in Amyloid 2009, Vol. 16, No. 3 : Pages 178-180. Amyloid is available online at: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13506120903090940We report a patient with AH amyloidosis associated with lymphoplasmacytic leukemia that has remained in a stable state with a nephrotic syndrome for 17 months since the commencement of cyclic rituximab therapy aimed at suppression of pathogenetic gamma heavy chains. Free light chains in serum and CD20-positive cells in peripheral blood were useful as hematological markers in the patient. Rituximab might be a potent therapeutic option for AH amyloidosis associated with a B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder.ArticleAMYLOID. 16(3):178-180 (2009)journal articl

A case of biventricular pacing with a spike on T-wave caused by the algorithm maintaining biventricular pacing rate

AbstractCardiac-resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves the cardiac function of patients with left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony. Maintenance of the biventricular pacing rate is very important in managing the hemodynamics in patients implanted with CRT devices. A low biventricular pacing rate, for example, in cases with atrial fibrillation or rapid intrinsic atrioventricular (AV) conduction, decreases the benefits of CRT. The LUMAX HF-T 540 device series (BIOTRONIK, Berlin, Germany) has a LV-triggered pace algorithm, which allows biventicular pacing rates to be maintained even during rapid intrinsic rhythms caused by shortened AV conduction and/or premature ventricular contraction (PVC) occurring in the right ventricle. We encountered a case of CRT device implantation with a defibrillator wherein this triggered pace algorithm caused a spike on T-wave due to T-wave oversensing. By remote monitoring, we were also able to determine that the T-wave oversensing was due to a PVC. The LUMAX 540 series allows for changes in the sensing threshold and filter settings of the device, which facilitated the elimination of T-wave oversensing in this case

Surgical removal of amyloid-laden lymph nodes: a possible therapeutic approach in a primary systemic AL amyloidosis patient with focal lymphadenopathy

We report a patient with primary systemic AL amyloidosis who suffered from remarkable bilateral cervical lymphadenopathy. Intensive chemotherapies, including two cycles of high-dose melphalan with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, were insufficiently effective for both the lymphadenopathy and amyloidogenic IgG lambda lambda-type M-protein in serum, but the patient showed complete haematological remission after extensive surgical removal of enlarged lymph nodes that had massive depositions of lambda lambda-type immunoglobulin light chain-derived amyloid. Lymphadenectomy may be a possible therapeutic approach with regard to both cosmetic and haematological aspects in primary systemic AL amyloidosis patients with focal lymphadenopathy.ArticleAMYLOID-JOURNAL OF PROTEIN FOLDING DISORDERS. 18(2):79-82 (2011)journal articl

Coadministration of Cyclosporin A with Prednisolone in Acute Interstitial Pneumonia Complicating Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis

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