Cat scratch disease in an immunosuppressed patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Cat scratch disease is an infectious disorder transmitted by cats that typically affects children and young adults. Immunosuppression is a well-known risk factor for the development of severe and atypical forms of the disease; hence it is under-diagnosed in patients with compromised immunity. We are reporting the first case of cat scratch disease, which presented as fever and fatigue, in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus while receiving immunosuppressant therapy after a kidney transplant.

A man with unilateral endophthalmitis: a case of disseminated nocardiosis.

We present the case of a patient with an infection by Nocardia which manifested itself with monocular endophthalmitis. Nocardia infection is not common and ocular involvement is one of the most uncommon presentations. In these cases it is very important to make an early diagnosis and intensive treatment to prevent the visual prognosis.

Association between low 25-hydroxyvitamin D, insulin resistance and arterial stiffness in nondiabetic women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to examine if there is an association between low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and insulin resistance (IR) in nondiabetic women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate its impact on arterial stiffness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study 25(OH)D, insulin, insulin resistance measured by the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR), homocysteine, fibrinogen, characteristics of SLE, medications and pulse-wave velocity (PWV) were measured in 106 nondiabetic women with SLE and 101 matched controls. RESULTS: Women with SLE tended to have lower 25(OH)D levels (p = 0.078) and a higher frequency of 25(OH)D deficiency (defined as < 10 ng/ml) than controls (p = 0.058). Patients from the lowest quartile of the 25(OH)D range had higher PWV (p = 0.043), fasting glucose (p = 0.035), insulinemia (p ≤ 0.001), HOMA-IR (p = 0.006), C4 (p = 0.012), as well as more frequent IR (p = 0.002) and metabolic syndrome (p = 0.052) than those in the upper quartile, and no differences were found in age, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, lipid levels and renal function. In women with SLE, 25(OH)D inversely correlated with insulin (p = 0.006), HOMA-IR (p = 0.008) and C4 (p = 0.048) and tended to correlate with fibrinogen (p = 0.060) after adjustment for BMI, age, SLEDAI, prednisone dose, renal function, inflammation markers and seasonal variation, but not with PWV. In controls, 25(OH)D correlated only with homocysteine after the same adjustment, and the correlation with PWV tended to be significant after adjustment for BMI and age (r = -0.190, p = 0.10). CONCLUSION: Low 25(OH)D levels were found to be associated with increased IR in nondiabetic women with SLE independently of BMI. Low 25(OH)D levels, but not IR, could be associated with increased arterial stiffness in these patients.

Ansiedad, depresión y su implicación en la hipertensión arterial resistente / Anxiety, depression and their involvement in resistant arterial hypertension

La hipertensión arterial (HTA) esencial tiene un origen multifactorial en el que están implicadas al menos 2 categorías de factores. Los factores biológicos clásicos de riesgo y los factores psicológicos, incluyendo los efectos del estrés crónico, los cuales tienen una cierta influencia tanto en el origen como en la persistencia de la HTA. En este estudio nos planteamos conocer el grado de influencia de la ansiedad y la depresión como manifestaciones de un proceso de estrés crónico, en pacientes con HTA resistente

The origin of essential arterial hypertension is multifactorial in which at least2 different categories of factors are involved. These categories are classical biological risk factors and the psychological factors, including the effects of chronic stress, which also seem to play a significant role in its origin and maintenance. In this study we aim to know the degree of the relationship between anxiety and depression and chronic stress in patients with resistant arterial hypertension

Seguimiento de los pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico: lo que no está en las guías / Follow-up of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: what is not found in the guidelines

Se comentan una serie de medidas para los pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico, que no suelen estar en las guías. Al enfermo muy bien controlado durante años tendemos a ir reduciendo progresivamente la dosis de hidroxicloroquina, sin bajar de aproximadamente 600mg/semana. Este fármaco aconsejamos tomarlo por la mañana en los pacientes con insomnio, por la noche en los casos de dispepsia y en los que presentan prurito de tipo acuagénico que separen la toma de la ducha, y que esta sea con agua lo menos caliente posible. No usamos el tratamiento con prednisona a días alternos, y excepcionalmente dividimos la dosis en ¾ antes del desayuno y ¼ antes de la cena. En consultas deberíamos dedicar entre 20 y 30min por paciente, para hacer una buena práctica clínica y humana. En nuestra unidad hemos analizado el seguimiento de 112 enfermos consecutivos, y el 71,4% tenían una sintomatología no explicable por el lupus, y solamente al 8,9% los derivamos a otros especialistas, probablemente, por nuestra capacitación general como internistas. Sugerimos que conocer la opinión de los especialistas dedicados a tratar a los enfermos con lupus puede ser de interés, pues a partir de sus experiencias, se pueden programar trabajos bien diseñados, que permitirían el avance en el conocimiento de esta enfermedad (AU)

A series of measures in the management of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) which usually are not found in the lupus guidelines are discussed. In the lupus patient who has been well-controlled in the long term, the dose of hydroxychloroquine should be progressively reduced, without decreasing more than approximately 600mg per week. We recommend taking this drug in the morning in patients with insomnia, at night in those with dyspepsia and to separate the intake of the drug from the shower (and the water should be as cool as possible) in those patients with aquagenic pruritus. We do not use prednisone on alternate days and exceptionally divide the dose into ¾ before breakfast and ¼ before dinner. Twenty to 30min should be used per patient in every scheduled visit to assure a good clinical and human practice. We analyzed the follow-up of 112 consecutive patients from our systemic disease unit and found that 71.4% of them had symptoms that were unexplained by lupus and we only referred 8.9% of them to other specialists, probably because of our general training as internal medicine doctors. We suggest that knowing the views of SLE specialists might be of interest since, well-designed studies that would allow to progress in the understanding of this disease could be performed based on their experience (AU)

Follow-up of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: what is not found in the guidelines.

A series of measures in the management of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) which usually are not found in the lupus guidelines are discussed. In the lupus patient who has been well-controlled in the long term, the dose of hydroxychloroquine should be progressively reduced, without decreasing more than approximately 600 mg per week. We recommend taking this drug in the morning in patients with insomnia, at night in those with dyspepsia and to separate the intake of the drug from the shower (and the water should be as cool as possible) in those patients with aquagenic pruritus. We do not use prednisone on alternate days and exceptionally divide the dose into ¾ before breakfast and » before dinner. Twenty to 30 min should be used per patient in every scheduled visit to assure a good clinical and human practice. We analyzed the follow-up of 112 consecutive patients from our systemic disease unit and found that 71.4% of them had symptoms that were unexplained by lupus and we only referred 8.9% of them to other specialists, probably because of our general training as internal medicine doctors. We suggest that knowing the views of SLE specialists might be of interest since, well-designed studies that would allow to progress in the understanding of this disease could be performed based on their experience.

Recomendaciones sobre el uso de belimumab en el lupus eritematoso sistémico. Guía de Práctica Clínica GEAS-SEMI / Recommendations on the use of belimumab in systemic lupus erythematosus. GEAS-SEMI Clinical Practice Guide

Los tratamientos biológicos están basados en la administración de diversos tipos de moléculas sintéticas relacionadas con la respuesta inmunitaria cuyo uso se ha extendido en los últimos años al campo de las enfermedades autoinmunes sistémicas (EAS), especialmente al lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES). Hasta el año 2011, estas enfermedades no estaban incluidas en las indicaciones terapéuticas aprobadas por las agencias reguladoras internacionales, por lo que su utilización quedaba restringida a los ensayos clínicos y al uso compasivo para los casos refractarios a tratamientos convencionales, para los que se requiere la aprobación del Ministerio de Sanidad. En 2011 se aprueba el uso de belimumab, un anticuerpo monoclonal humano que se une específicamente a la forma soluble de la proteína estimuladora de linfocitos B humanos BLyS. Debido a que la información sobre el uso de este nuevo fármaco en el paciente con LES proviene exclusivamente de los resultados obtenidos en los ensayos aleatorizados, el Grupo de Estudio de Enfermedades Autoinmunes (GEAS) de la Sociedad Española de Medicina Interna (SEMI) ha elaborado una guía terapéutica basada en la evidencia científica disponible en la actualidad sobre el uso de belimumab en los pacientes con LES en la práctica clínica(AU)

Biological therapies are based on the administration of various types of synthetic molecules related to the immune response. Their use has spread in recent years to the field of systemic autoimmune diseases, particularly to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Until 2011, these diseases were not included in the therapeutic indications approved by international regulatory agencies. Therefore, the use of biological therapies was restricted to clinical trials and to compassionate use for cases refractory to standard treatments (off-label use), which require the approval of the Health Ministry. In 2011, belimumab, a human monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the soluble form of the protein human B lymphocyte stimulator BlyS, was approved for use in patients with SLE. Because the clinical information on the use of this new drug in patients with SLE has only been obtained from the results of randomized trials, the Study Group of Autoimmune Diseases (GEAS) of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) has developed therapeutic guidelines. These guidelines are based on the current scientific evidence on the use of belimumab in SLE patients in the clinical practice(AU)

[Recommendations on the use of belimumab in systemic lupus erythematosus. GEAS-SEMI Clinical Practice Guide]. / Recomendaciones sobre el uso de belimumab en el lupus eritematoso sistémico. Guía de Práctica Clínica GEAS-SEMI.

Biological therapies are based on the administration of various types of synthetic molecules related to the immune response. Their use has spread in recent years to the field of systemic autoimmune diseases, particularly to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Until 2011, these diseases were not included in the therapeutic indications approved by international regulatory agencies. Therefore, the use of biological therapies was restricted to clinical trials and to compassionate use for cases refractory to standard treatments (off-label use), which require the approval of the Health Ministry. In 2011, belimumab, a human monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to the soluble form of the protein human B lymphocyte stimulator BlyS, was approved for use in patients with SLE. Because the clinical information on the use of this new drug in patients with SLE has only been obtained from the results of randomized trials, the Study Group of Autoimmune Diseases (GEAS) of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) has developed therapeutic guidelines. These guidelines are based on the current scientific evidence on the use of belimumab in SLE patients in the clinical practice.

Association study of IRAK-M and SIGIRR genes with SLE in a large European-descent population.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relevance of genetic variants of interleukin receptor-associated kinase-M (IRAK-M) (rs11465955, rs1624395, rs1152888 and rs1370128) and single immunoglobulin IL1-1R-related molecule (SIGIRR) (rs3210908) genes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in four independent European-descent populations. METHODS: Our study population consisted of a total of 2033 SLE patients and 2357 healthy controls from Spain, Germany, Italy and Argentina. The genotyping was performed using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system with pre-developed TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. Genetic association between the genotyped markers was determined by PLINK v1.07. RESULTS: After a meta-analysis including these four populations, a trend of association between rs11465955 (P(meta) (-analysis) = 0.06), rs1370128 (P(meta) (-analysis) = 0.07) and rs1624395 (P(meta) (-analysis) = 0.06) polymorphisms was found. However, these differences did not reach statistical significance. In addition, we did not find any association between SLE and the rs1152888 IRAK-M (P(meta) (-analysis) = 0.13) and the rs3210908 SIGIRR (P(meta) (-analysis) = 0.40) polymorphisms after the meta-analysis. No evidence of association with IRAK-M haplotypes was found. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the tested variations of IRAK-M and SIGIRR genes do not confer a relevant role in the susceptibility to SLE in European-descent populations.