High-dose immunoglobulin therapy as an immunomodulatory treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Ten patients with active, severe RA that was unresponsive to first- and second-line agents were administered IVIg monthly, for 6 months. RESULTS: Following IVIg treatment, there was significant improvement in both subjective and objective parameters of disease activity in all 9 patients who completed the protocol. This improvement was noted to occur as early as after the second infusion of IVIg. After discontinuation of the treatment, all patients had a relapse of the disease within a few weeks. CONCLUSION: Since the reduction in clinical activity paralleled a decrease in the CD4+CDw29+:CD4+CD45RA+ cell ratio, some of the therapeutic benefits associated with IVIg may be due to a direct influence on the CD4+CD45RA+ subset. Although the possibility of carrying out further controlled studies on a larger scale is limited by the high cost of the treatment, IVIg appears to be an effective therapy for refractory RA.

Extraarticular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis and HLA antigens in northern Italy.

We performed retrospective analysis of 141 Northern Italian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This series represents all the patients seen as in and/or outpatients at the rheumatologic unit of Reggio Emilia Hospital during a 2 year period (1987-88). We observed a low frequency of nodules (16%) and vasculitis (2.1%). Thus, RA seems to be milder in our population compared to Caucasian patients with RA originating from North America or England. We observed a weak association with DR4 (RR = 2.4) in the total group of patients with RA. A low frequency of DR4 was observed in patients and controls (29 vs 14.5%, p = 0.001). When compared with controls the frequency of DR4 was significantly higher in seropositive (p = 0.001), but not in seronegative patients. We found that DR4 was significantly associated with nodules (RR = 6.4), with extraarticular features (EAF) (RR = 4) and with erosions (RR = 3) compared with controls. The subgroups with nodules and EAF had a DR4 frequency (respectively, of 52 and 40%) which was significantly higher than that observed in remaining patients (respectively, 25 and 24%). No significant difference was observed in the DR4 frequency between the patients with erosions and those without (34 vs 18%). Thus, DR4 in our population seems to be predominantly associated with a subgroup of patients characterized by seropositivity and EAF.

[High-dose immunoglobulins for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: pilot study of 7 cases]. / Immunoglobuline ad alte dosi nella terapia dell'artrite reumatoide: studio pilota di 7 casi.

High intravenous doses (400 mg/kg) of gammaglobulin (IVIG) were administered monthly for six months to 7 patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In all cases, previous treatment with NSAIDs and corticosteroids and in 3 of them with gold and/or methotrexate had been ineffective. A 50 per cent improvement of Ritchie index was obtained in 6/7 patients, morning stiffness was reduced from greater than 2 hours to less than 30 minutes in 6/7 patients. Swollen joints and Lee index improved in all patients. ESR did not show any change but RCP improved in 6/7 patients. The study of lymphocyte subpopulation showed no substantial changes in CD20+, CD3+, CD4 and CD8 cells as well as in CD4/CD8 ratio and a significant increase in 2H4+T cells without changes in 4B4+ subpopulation. IVIG improved the clinical and laboratory features of patients with severe RA. The major problem raised by IVIG therapy is its high cost suggesting that this therapy should only be applied in well selected patients with RA.

Bartter's syndrome and chondrocalcinosis: a possible role for hypomagnesemia in the deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals.

A new case of association between Bartter's syndrome and chondrocalcinosis is reported. The patient was shown to have marked hypomagnesemia. Indomethacin and magnesium therapy was started and resulted in increased magnesemia, even if it did not reach normal levels. There was complete remission of articular symptoms and no progression on the radiological picture after 2 years of continuous magnesium and indomethacin therapy. The 7 available family members were studied to assess the possible presence of a familial form of chondrocalcinosis and/or hypomagnesemia. The literature is reviewed and reports of previously described associations between Bartter's syndrome and chondrocalcinosis are summarized. The possible role of hypomagnesemia in predisposing to deposition of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal in cartilagine is also discussed.

[Reye's syndrome in an adult following therapy with salicylates in Still's disease]. / Sindrome di Reye dell'adulto secondaria a terapia con salicilati per morbo di Still.

Reye's syndrome or encephalopathy with fatty infiltration of the liver occurs mainly in childhood and to a lesser degree in adult age. Salicylate may play a role in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Still's disease is a form of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis very rare in the adult. A case is reported of a 39-year old woman who developed Reye's syndrome while on aspirin therapy for the treatment of a classical adult Still's disease.

Felty's syndrome: long-term followup after treatment with auranofin.

Five patients who had Felty's syndrome were treated with auranofin, 6 mg/day, for a period that ranged from 4 months to 2 years. All patients experienced both an improvement in articular symptoms and a normalization of the leukocyte count. Auranofin appears to be an effective treatment for Felty's syndrome, and to have a lower degree of toxicity than parenteral gold.