Ultrasound inflammatory parameters and Treg/Th17 cell profiles in established rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Background: Imbalance and disfuntion in regulatory T-cells (Tregs) and IL-17 producer lymphocytes (Th17) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Gray scale synovial proliferation (GS), power Doppler signal (pD) and bone erosions seen on high resolution muskuloskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) are hallmarks of destructive articular disease. Objective: To evaluate the association of peripheral Tregs and Th17 with MSUS findings in RA. Methods: RA patients (1987 ACR criteria) treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were included. Lymphocytes were isolated and immunophenotyped by flow cytometry to investigate regulatory FoxP3+ T cells and IL-17+ cells. MSUS (MyLab 60, Esaote, Genova, Italy, linear probe 6-18 MHz) was performed on hand joints, and a 10-joint US score was calculated for each patient. Results: Data on lymphocytes subsets were avaiable for 90 patients. The majority of patients were Caucasian women with a median disease duration of 6 years (interquartile range: 2-13 years). Mean DAS28 was 4.28 (SD ± 1.64) and mean HAQ score was 1.11 (SD ± 0.83). There was no significant correlation of 10-joint GS score (rS = 0.122, 95% CI: - 0.124 to 0.336, P = 0.254) and 10-joint pD score (rS = 0.056, 95% CI: - 0.180 to 0.273, P = 0.602) with the mean percentage of peripheral Treg cells. Also, 10-joint GS score (rS = 0.083, 95% CI: - 0.125 to 0.302, P = 0.438) and 10-joint pD score 10 (rS = - 0.060, 95% CI: - 0.271 to 0.150, P = 0.575); did not correlate to Th17 profile. No association of bone erosions on MSUS with Treg and Th17 profiles (P = 0.831 and P = 0.632, respectively) was observed. Conclusion: In this first study addressing MSUS features and lymphocytes subtypes in established RA, data did not support an association of circulating Tregs and Th17 lymphocytes with inflammatory and structural damage findings on MSUS.

Antimaláricos e perfil lipídico em pacientes com lúpus eritematoso sistêmico / Antimalarials and cholesterol profile of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Recentemente, vem-se atribuindo uma influência benéfica dos antimaláricos no perfil lipídico de pacientes com lúpus eritematoso sistêmico (LES). Neste estudo transversal, avaliamos o efeito da cloroquina nos níveis de colesterol de uma população brasileira com LES. O estudo avaliou 60 pacientes, 95 por cento dos quais, mulheres, sendo a idade média 48,7 anos (DP 13,3 anos). Em 27 casos (45 por cento), sobrepeso ou obesidade estava presente. Trinta e quatro pacientes (56,6 por cento) usavam cloroquina em uma dosagem padrão, enquanto 33 (55 por cento) usavam corticosteroides. Hipercolesterolemia foi detectada em 26 pacientes (43,3 por cento), e baixos níveis de colesterol HDL em 18 (30 por cento). Colesterolemia normal foi observada igualmente em usuários e não usuários de antimaláricos (P > 0,20). Após ajuste para a ingestão de estatina e corticosteroide através de análise multivariada, os níveis de colesterol total e colesterol HDL não diferiram significativamente em usuários e não usuários de cloroquina (P > 0,05). A ingestão de cloroquina não se associou a um baixo índice de massa corporal (P = 0,314). Nossos achados sugerem que a ingestão de antimaláricos por si não distingue perfis lipídicos em pacientes com LES.

A benefi cial influence of antimalarials on lipid profile of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients has been recently claimed. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the effect of chloroquine on cholesterol levels of a Brazilian population with SLE. Sixty patients were studied, 95 percent females. Mean age was 48.7 years (SD 13.3 years). Overweight or obesity was documented in 27 cases (45 percent). Thirty-four patients (56.6 percent) were using chloroquine in standard dosage, while 33 (55 percent) were on corticosteroids. Hypercholesterolemia was present in 26 patients (43.3 percent), while low HDLcholesterol levels were seen in 18 cases (30 percent). Normal cholesterolemia was documented equally in users and non-users of antimalarials (P > 0.20). After adjustment for statin and corticosteroid intake by multivariate analysis, cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels did not significantly differ in users or non-users of chloroquine (P > 0.05). There was no association of chloroquine intake with low body mass index (P = 0.314). Our findings suggest that antimalarial intake by itself does not distinguish cholesterol profiles in SLE patients.