46 research outputs found
Severe skin reaction after leflunomide and etanercept in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis
Sjogren's syndrome
In summary, anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies are the best available autoantibodies for the diagnosis of SS. In particular anti-La antibodies are both specific and sensitive for the diagnosis of primary SS. The presence of anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies is associated with more severe disease as well as with extraglandular manifestations of SS. Despite our increasing understanding of the pathogenesis of disease in SS, many questions still remain as to the mechanism of autoantibody production and the role of autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of disease. © 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd
Autoimmune manifestations in common variable immunodeficiency
Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a disorder characterized by
decreased serum immunoglobulin concentrations and increased incidence of
recurrent infections. Interestingly 20-25% of patients with CVID
develop clinical features suggestive of an autoimmune disease. Although
this association is well established, the immunodeficiency background of
CVID patients manifesting autoimmune disorders is often overlooked. This
study describes three CVID patients displaying a variety of autoimmune
manifestations. The pathophysiologic mechanisms of autoimmunity in CVID
are also reviewed
Interstitial lung disease in a patient with antisynthetase syndrome and no myositis
Interstitial lung disease in patients with antisynthetase syndrome and
no evidence of myositis is rare and may precede other disease
manifestations. We report a patient who initially presented with
symptoms primarily related to lung involvement. The diagnosis of the
antisynthetase syndrome without myositis was made many months later when
he developed a characteristic hand rash (mechanic’s hands), which was
confirmed by positive antibodies to Jo-1. With treatment, both the hand
rash and the interstitial lung disease improved. Antisynthetase syndrome
should be considered in patients presenting with interstitial lung
disease with no evidence of myositis. Appropriate laboratory testing
with measurement of specific autoantibodies may help in the early
diagnosis and treatment of the syndrome