IgG4-related disease associated with immune thrombocytopenia: A clinical case report

Autoimmune pancreatitis is a characteristic manifestation of the spectrum of the disease related to IgG4, a rare autoimmune disorder that presents clinically with obstructive jaundice due to the infiltration of plasma cells and fibrosis in the pancreas. There may be other symptoms in case of involvement of other organs, and in very rare cases there is hematological involvement. We present the case of an adult man with signs of cholestasis secondary to type I autoimmune pancreatitis, with involvement of other organs and associated with thrombocytopenia that improved with systemic corticosteroid-based immunosuppressive treatment, after which the patient showed favorable clinical and analytical evolution over time.

La pancreatitis autoimmune es una manifestación característica del espectro de la enfermedad relacionada con IgG4, trastorno raro de tipo autoinmune que se presenta clínicamente con ictericia obstructiva debido a la infiltración de células plasmáticas y fibrosis en el páncreas; puede presentarse con otra sintomatología en caso de afectación de otros órganos y en muy raras ocasiones hay compromiso hematológico. Se presenta el caso de un hombre adulto con signos de colestasis secundaria a una pancreatitis autoinmune tipo i, con compromiso de otros órganos y asociada con trombocitopenia que mejoró con el tratamiento inmunosupresor a base de corticoide sistémico, luego del cual se observó una evolución favorable en cuanto a la clínica y analítica en el transcurso del tiempo.

Enfermedad relacionada con IgG4: reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura / IgG4-related disease: a case report and literature review

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4-RD) -related disease is a regional or systemic fibroinflammatory disease of unknown etiology. It has a characteristic histopathological appearance of dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates with abundant IgG4 positive plasma cells, storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis with the appearance of inflammatory swelling or swollen lesions. This entity frequently affects the pancreas, salivary glands, and lymph nodes, but it can compromise almost any structure in the human anatomy. This new disease entity includes a wide variety of diseases such as Mikulicz disease, autoimmune pancreatitis, Riedel's thyroiditis, interstitial nephritis, and retroperitoneal fibrosis. Glucocorticoid therapy can resolve clinical and pathologic abnormalities and impaired organ function. IgG4-RD was internationally recognized in 2011, and new evidence has accumulated on its pathogenesis, clinical characteristics, and treatment. However, much is still unknown about the behavior of IgG4 in vivo, the participation of this molecule in disease, and whether its role in IgG4-related disease is primary or secondary. The text below is based on a brief review of the most recent literature on this entity in relation to a clinical case.

Pancreatitis autoinmune en pediatría. Caso clínico / Autoimmune pancreatitis in children. Clinical case

La pancreatitis recurrente ocurre en el 15-35% en la edad pediátrica. Se define como 2 o más episodios distintos de pancreatitis aguda con normalización de enzimas pancreáticas entre cada episodio. Una de sus causas es la pancreatitis autoinmune. En los últimos 10 años se controlaron, en el Hospital Garrahan, 10 pacientes con diagnóstico de pancreatitis recurrente, de los cuales solo uno tuvo diagnóstico de pancreatitis autoinmune. Se describe el caso clínico de una paciente, que, inicialmente, tenía estudios normales de función y anatomía pancreática y, en la evolución, luego de un episodio de pancreatitis aguda, desarrolló estenosis del conducto de Wirsung sugestiva de pancreatitis autoinmune. Se considera importante describir esta patología infrecuente en pediatría, pero que se encuentra en auge.

Introduction. Recurrent pancreatitis occurs in children between 15 and 35% of the cases. It is defined as two or more separate episodes of acute pancreatitis with normalization of the pancreatic enzymes between episodes. One of the causes is autoimmune pancreatitis. Over the last 10 years, 10 patients with recurrent pancreatitis were sent at our center. Only one was considered to have autoimmune pancreatitis. We described a clinical case about a patient, who had, at the beginning, normal functional and anatomical studies, and then was finally diagnosed with autoimmune disease based on findings on the magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography with a duct of Wirsung abnormality. We considered important to describe this uncommon disorder in childhood, in spite of having an increasing incidence.

Type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis: relapse with liver abscess / Pancreatite autoimune tipo 1: recidiva com abscesso hepático

ABSTRACT: Type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis is a cause of chronic pancreatitis related to the systemic disease known as IgG4-related Sclerosing Disease. Case report: We report the case of a 64-year-old male patient who presented recurrentepigastric pain radiating to the back, associated with jaundice, xerostomia, nausea, and vomiting, since 2014, diagnosed two years later with an unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis was questioned after a few follow-up months without clinical deterioration when it was suggested the possibility of type 1 autoimmune pancreatitis in its pseudotumoral form. The patient was then treated with glucocorticoids, obtaining significantclinical improvement. After two years of follow-up, he returned asymptomatic with images suggestive of sclerosingcholangitis and a large liver abscess. Importance of the issue: The present case denotes the difficulty found in this diagnosis due to clinical and radiological resemblances with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Besides that, it presents a seldom described disease complication, the liver abscess. (AU)

RESUMO: A pancreatite autoimune tipo 1 é uma causa de pancreatite crônica relacionada à doença sistêmica conhecida como Doença Esclerosante relacionada à IgG4. Relato do caso: Relatamos o caso de um paciente do sexo masculino,64 anos, que apresentou quadros recorrentes de dor epigástrica com irradiação para as costas, associada com icterícia, xerostomia, náuseas e vômitos desde 2014, diagnosticado após 2 anos com adenocarcinoma pancreático irressecável. O diagnóstico foi questionado após alguns meses de acompanhamento sem deterioração clínica, quando aventaram a possibilidade de forma pseudotumoral da pancreatite autoimune tipo 1. Realizou tratamento com glicocorticoides, obtendo melhora clínica importante. Após dois anos de acompanhamento, retorna assintomático com imagens sugestivas de colangite esclerosante e volumoso abscesso hepático. Importância do problema: O presente caso denota uma dificuldade encontrada no diagnóstico dessa entidade devido a semelhanças clínico-radiológicas com o adenocarcinoma pancreático. Além disso, apresenta uma complicação pouco descrita da doença, o abscesso hepático. (AU)

Diabetes mellitus asociada a pancreatitis autoinmune: caso clínico / Autoimmune pancreatitis associated with diabetes mellitus: report of one case

Autoimmune pancreatitis is uncommon, responds to steroids and is usually associated with diabetes mellitus. We report a 73 year-old male who, two months after a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, presented with obstructive jaundice and weight loss. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging was suggestive of an autoimmune pancreatitis and serum IgG4 was 339 mg/dl (normal range 3-201). The patient was treated with prednisone 40 mg/day with a good clinical and laboratory response. During outpatient care, the dose of prednisone was tapered.

Enfermedad por IgG4 multisistémica: a propósito de un caso: revisión de la literatura / Multisystemic IgG4 disease: a case report: literature review

We report a 63-year-old male patient who consulted for a 4-month history of xerophthalmia, xerostomia and cervicalgia, associated with jaundice, choluria, low weight and night sweats. Exams show an obstructive pattern and abdominal ultrasound describes a possible mass in the pancreatic head with secondary dilation of the bile duct. Colangio-MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) confirms a focal pancreatic head lesion that determines intrapancreatic bile duct stenosis, proximal dilation of the bile duct and stenosis of the main pancreatic duct. Pancreatic neoplasia versus autoimmune pancreatitis (PAI) is proposed, complementing a study with a count of IgG subclasses where IgG4 stands out at 1050 mg/dl (normal range: 3.9-86) and computed tomography (CT) of the thorax, abdomen and pelvis, that in addition to the biliary-pancreatic alterations, shows thickening of the vesicular wall, multiple bilateral lesions in the renal parenchyma and peri-aortic soft tissue. Salivary gland biopsy reports lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate characteristic of IgG4 disease. A disease related to IgG4 (ER-IgG4) is diagnosed with pancreatic, renal, biliary, vascular, lymphatic, salivary and lacrimal glands involvement. It is treated with corticoidal therapy, evolving favorably with resolution of the symptomatology and regression of imaging alterations.

Se reporta caso de paciente de sexo masculino de 63 años que consulta por cuadro de 4 meses de xeroftalmia, xerostomía y cervicalgia, asociado a ictericia, coluria, baja de peso y sudoración nocturna. En exámenes destaca pruebas hepáticas con un patrón obstructivo y ecografía abdominal que muestra una posible masa en la cabeza pancreática con dilatación secundaria de la vía biliar. Colangio-resonancia (resonancia magnética-RM) confirma una lesión focal en la cabeza pancreática que determina estenosis del colédoco intrapancreático, dilatación proximal de la vía biliar y estenosis del conducto pancreático principal. Se plantea neoplasia de páncreas versus pancreatitis autoinmune (PAI), complementando estudio con recuento de subclases de IgG donde destaca IgG4 de 1.050 mg/dl (rango normal: 3,9-86) y tomografía computada (TC) de tórax, abdomen y pelvis, que además de las alteraciones bilio-pancreáticas, demuestra engrosamiento de la pared vesicular, lesiones múltiples bilaterales en el parénquima renal y tejido de partes blandas peri-aórtico. Biopsia de las glándulas salivales informa sialoadenitis crónica e inespecífica. Se diagnostica una enfermedad relacionada a IgG4 (ER-IgG4) con compromiso pancreático, renal, biliar, vascular, linfático, de glándulas salivales y lagrimales. Se trata con terapia corticoidal, evolucionando favorablemente con resolución de la sintomatología y regresión de las alteraciones imagenológicas.

Espectro clínico de la enfermedad relacionada con IgG4 en Colombia / Clinical spectrum of IgG4-related disease in Colombia

RESUMEN La enfermedad relacionada con IgG4 es una condición inflamatoria sistémica, caracterizada por la infiltración de diversos órganos por complejos formados por células plasmáticas IgG4 positivas, asociadas con niveles elevados de IgG4 en el suero. El diagnóstico de esta enfermedad es complejo y los hallazgos clínicos no son patognomónicos. En esta serie de casos, describimos un amplio espectro clínico en 4 pacientes, en quienes, después de descartar otros diagnósticos, se confirmó la enfermedad relacionada con IgG4. A pesar de que esta enfermedad no es común, se debe considerar entre los diagnósticos diferenciales de enfermedades con afectación de múltiples órganos. Este reporte de pacientes con enfermedad relacionada con IgG4, en Colombia, resalta un amplio espectro de presentaciones clínicas, incluyendo estenosis subglótica, pancreatitis autoinmune, fibrosis retroperitoneal y compromiso sistémico.

ABSTRACT IgG4-related disease is an inflammatory systemic condition noted by the infiltration of different organs by IgG4-bearing plasma cells, as well as elevated serum IgG4 levels. Diagnosis of this condition is complex, and clinical findings are not particularly indicative. In this case series, a description is presented on 4 patients with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, in whom, after ruling out different options, a diagnosis of IgG4 related disease was confirmed. Despite this disease not being common, it should be considered among the options whenever multiple organs are affected. This report of patients with IgG4-related disease in Colombia highlights a wide spectrum of clinical presentations, including subglottic stenosis, autoimmune pancreatitis, retroperitoneal fibrosis, and systemic compromise.

Pancreatitis autoinmune: desafío diagnóstico y tratamiento actual / Autoimmune pancreatitis: diagnostic challenges and current treatment

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas. The mechanism of the disease is not completely known. However, AIP shows cellular and humoral immunity elements, the most important being helper and regulatory T lymphocytes as well as B-lymphocytes and plasmocytes, participating in the fibroinflammatory process. Two histologic types have been described with different clinical characteristics. Type 1 AIP is part of a systemic condition associated with an increase of IgG4, while type 2 is a pancreatic disease, frequently associated with inflammatory bowel disease. From the clinical point of view, a third category is described when the classification is not possible at the moment of the diagnosis. The most important differential diagnosis of AIP is pancreatic cancer and it can be difficult, because current diagnostic methods used, including biopsy, have low specificity and sensitivity. AIP patients recover rapidly after steroid therapy, which can be useful even in differential diagnosis. Long-term prognosis is good: more than half of type 1 and almost all cases of type 2 patients have favorable outcome without recurrence and without severe consequences.

La pancreatitis autoinmune (PAI) es una enfermedad inflamatoria del páncreas. El mecanismo fisiopatológico no es completamente conocido. Sin embargo, presenta elementos de inmunidad celular y humoral, siendo de mayor importancia los linfocitos T-helper, T-reguladores, linfocitos B y plasmocitos, que participan en el desarrollo de la enfermedad. Se reconocen dos tipos histológicos con características clínicas también distintas. El tipo 1 forma parte de una enfermedad sistémica relacionada a aumento de IgG4, mientras el tipo 2 es una enfermedad pancreática, aunque con frecuencia asociada a enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal. Desde el punto de vista clínico, existe una tercera categoría, que se presenta cuando en el momento del diagnóstico de PAI la tipificación clínicamente no es posible. El diagnóstico diferencial más importante de la PAI es el cáncer de páncreas y puede ser clínicamente difícil. Los métodos actuales de diagnóstico incluyen la biopsia pero tienen un rendimiento bajo. La PAI responde rápidamente al tratamiento con esteroides, hecho que puede ser útil aún en el diagnóstico diferencial. Su pronóstico a largo plazo es bueno: más de la mitad de los casos tipo 1 y casi todos los casos tipo 2 evolucionan sin recaída y sin consecuencias graves a largo plazo.

Doença sistêmica associada à IgG4, mimetizando colangiocarcinoma / Systemic disease associated Igg4 mimicking cholangiocarcinoma

A doença sistêmica associada à IgG4 pode acometer virtualmente todos os órgãos, o que torna seu diagnóstico diferencial bastante abrangente. A pancreatite autoimune foi a primeira lesão orgânica a ser associada à IgG4 e, apenas em 2003, manifestações extrapancreáticas foram descritas. Portanto, é uma enfermidade relativamente nova e pouco conhecida de modo que se torna importante estudá-la. A colangite esclerosante associada à IgG4 está comumente associada à pancreatite autoimune, embora também possa ocorrer isoladamente ou em associação à lesão pancreática leve. Assim, pode ser difícil diferenciá-la da colangite esclerosante primária ou do colangiocarcinoma, a depender do padrão e do local onde ocorrem as estenoses. O acometimento renal é frequente nesta doença, e ocorre por nefrite tubulointersticial, acompanhada de alterações típicas nos exames de imagem, que mostram áreas heterogêneas e hipointensas no parênquima renal/ fato que não acontece em nefrites de outras etiologias. Relatamos, a seguir, o caso de um paciente com estenose do hepatocolédoco médio e suspeita de colangiocarcinoma, que posteriormente demonstrou acometimento de parótidas, pancreático, e renal, além de biliar, com níveis séricos elevados de IgG4.

Systemic disease associated with IgG4 can affect virtually every organ, which makes her very comprehensive differential diagnosis. Autoimmune Pancreatitis was the first organic lesion to be associated with IgG4, and only in 2003, extra-pancreatic manifestations have been described. Therefore, it is a relatively new disease and poorly known, so that it becomes important to study it. The IgG4 associated sclerosing cholangitis is commonly associated with autoimmune pancreatitis, although it can also occur in isolation or in association with mild pancreatic injury. Thus, it can be difficult to distinguish it from primary sclerosing cholangitis or cholangiocarcinoma, depending on the pattern and where the strictures occur. The renal involvement is common in this disease, and tubulointerstitial nephritis occurs, accompanied by typical changes in imaging studies that show heterogeneous and hypointense areas in the renal parenchyma, which did not happen in nephritis from other causes. The following describes the case of one patient with bile duct stenosis and medium suspected cholangiocarcinoma, which subsequently showed involvement of the parotid glands, pancreas, and kidney, and bladder, with elevated serum levels of IgG4.