Autologous concentrated bone marrow injection for precollapse osteonecrosis of the femoral head concurrent with contralateral total hip arthroplasty: protocol for a clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: The femoral head contralateral to the collapsed femoral head requiring total hip arthroplasty (THA) often manifests in the precollapse stage of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). It is not yet demonstrated how autologous concentrated bone marrow injection may prevent collapse of the femoral head concurrent with contralateral THA. The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of autologous concentrated bone marrow injection for the contralateral, non-collapsed, femoral head in patients with bilateral ONFH, with the ipsilateral collapsed femoral head undergoing THA. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicentre, prospective, non-randomised, historical-data controlled study. We will recruit patients with ONFH who are scheduled for THA and possess a non-collapsed contralateral femoral head. Autologous bone marrow will be collected using a point-of-care device. After concentration, the bone marrow will be injected into the non-collapsed femoral head following the completion of THA in the contralateral hip. The primary outcome is the percentage of femoral head collapse evaluated by an independent data monitoring committee using plain X-rays in two directions 2 years after autologous concentrated bone marrow injection. Postinjection safety, adverse events, pain and hip function will also be assessed. The patients will be evaluated preoperatively, and at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years postoperatively. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This protocol has been approved by the Certified Committee for Regenerative Medicine of Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Japan's Ministry of Healthy, Labour and Welfare and will be performed as a class III regenerative medicine protocol, in accordance with Japan's Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine. The results of this study will be submitted to a peer-review journal for publication. The results of this study are expected to provide evidence to support the inclusion of autologous concentrated bone marrow injections in the non-collapsed femoral head in Japan's national insurance coverage. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: jRCTc032200229.

Effects of the induction of humoral and cellular immunity by third vaccination for SARS-CoV-2.

INTRODUCTION: To control the spread of severe disease caused by mutant strains of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it is necessary to determine whether continued vaccination enhances humoral and cellular immunity. AIM: In this study, we examined the changes in humoral and cellular immunity to SARS-CoV-2 after administration of the third vaccination in Japanese adults who had received the second dose of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-1273 vaccine and the third vaccination (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273). METHODS: We measured anti-spike antibodies in immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-nucleocapsid IgG titers in the serum of the vaccinated subjects. To evaluate cellular immunity, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of inoculated individuals were cultured with spiked proteins, including those of the SARS-CoV-2 conventional strain and Omicron strain, and then subjected to enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT). RESULTS: The results revealed that the anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody titer increased after the third vaccination and was maintained; however, a decrease was observed at 6 months after vaccination. SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific T helper (Th)1 and Th2 cell responses were also induced after the third vaccination and were maintained for 6 months after vaccination. Furthermore, induction of cellular immunity against Omicron strains by the omicron non-compliant vaccines, BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273, was observed. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of vaccination against unknown mutant strains that may occur in the future and provide important insights into vaccination strategies.

Enhanced GATA4 expression in senescent systemic lupus erythematosus monocytes promotes high levels of IFNα production.

Enhanced interferon α (IFNα) production has been implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We previously reported IFNα production by monocytes upon activation of the stimulator of IFN genes (STING) pathway was enhanced in patients with SLE. We investigated the mechanism of enhanced IFNα production in SLE monocytes. Monocytes enriched from the peripheral blood of SLE patients and healthy controls (HC) were stimulated with 2'3'-cyclic GAMP (2'3'-cGAMP), a ligand of STING. IFNα positive/negative cells were FACS-sorted for RNA-sequencing analysis. Gene expression in untreated and 2'3'-cGAMP-stimulated SLE and HC monocytes was quantified by real-time PCR. The effect of GATA binding protein 4 (GATA4) on IFNα production was investigated by overexpressing GATA4 in monocytic U937 cells by vector transfection. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed to identify GATA4 binding target genes in U937 cells stimulated with 2'3'-cGAMP. Differentially expressed gene analysis of cGAS-STING stimulated SLE and HC monocytes revealed the enrichment of gene sets related to cellular senescence in SLE. CDKN2A, a marker gene of cellular senescence, was upregulated in SLE monocytes at steady state, and its expression was further enhanced upon STING stimulation. GATA4 expression was upregulated in IFNα-positive SLE monocytes. Overexpression of GATA4 enhanced IFNα production in U937 cells. GATA4 bound to the enhancer region of IFIT family genes and promoted the expressions of IFIT1, IFIT2, and IFIT3, which promote type I IFN induction. SLE monocytes with accelerated cellular senescence produced high levels of IFNα related to GATA4 expression upon activation of the cGAS-STING pathway.

A case of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome due to somatic mosaic mutation complicated with recurrent circinate erythematous psoriasis.

Cryopyrin-associated periotic syndrome (CAPS) is a rare autoinflammatory disease (AID) caused by genetic variants in innate immunity genes. AIDs, including CAPS, mediate proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-18 and result in severe systemic inflammation. A gain-of-function mutation in the NLRP3 gene, which encodes the protein cryopyrin, was identified to be responsible for CAPS in 2001, and since then several additional pathogenic mutations have been found. Moreover, other phenotypes have been identified based on severity and symptomatology, including familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS), and neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID)/chronic neurologic cutaneous articular syndrome (CINCA). Prompt diagnosis of CAPS remains challenging, however, due to unspecific, extensive clinical signs, and delayed diagnosis and treatment targeting IL-1 lead to multiorgan damage. Another factor complicating diagnosis is the existence of somatic mosaic mutations in the NLRP3 gene in some cases, resulting in symptoms and clinical courses that are atypical. The frequency of somatic mosaic mutations in CAPS was estimated to be 19% in a systematic review. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects about 3% of the global population. Although no reports have shown complication between CAPS and psoriasis, these diseases have several similarities and potential relationships, for instance activation of Th17 cells in the dermis and increased NLRP3 gene expression in psoriatic skin compared with normal skin. Here we report a case of CAPS due to a somatic mosaic mutation with recurrent circinate erythematous psoriasis.

Anisakiasis in the Upper Esophagus: A Case Report.

Anisakiasis is caused by consuming raw fish contaminated with Anisakis sp. larvae and is extremely rare, especially when originating in the esophagus. We present a case of esophageal anisakiasis in a 61-year-old male who experienced severe precordial pain and radiating discomfort to the neck after consuming raw fish sashimi. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed the presence of a larva in the upper esophagus. On the basis of anatomo-morphological features, the worm was provisionally identified as Anisakis sp. and was easily extracted with forceps, which led to a prompt improvement in the patient's symptoms. This case highlights the importance of considering anisakiasis as a differential diagnosis in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms and a history of consuming raw fish.

Critical role of lectin pathway mediated by MBL-associated serine proteases in complement activation for the pathogenesis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

In complement activation system, although the classical pathway has shown to play a critical role for the pathogenesis of SLE, the role of lectin pathway has remained unknown in the pathogenesis of SLE. As Mannose-binding lectin-associated serine proteases (MASPs) are associated with activation of the lectin pathway, we conducted this study to clarify MASPs associations in the pathogenesis of SLE. We evaluated the serum level of MASPs (MASP-1 and MASP-2) in total 68 SLE patients consisting of 15 patients with biopsy-confirmed membranous lupus nephritis (M-LN), 35 patients with biopsy-confirmed proliferative lupus nephritis (P-LN), and 18 SLE patients without LN (non-LN). Our data showed that the serum levels of MASPs were reduced in both P-LN and non-LN although those of M-LN were not reduced. Our data show that the lectin pathway mediated by MASPs plays a critical role for the pathogenesis of SLE except for M-LN.

Promoting awareness of terminology related to unmet medical needs in context of rheumatic diseases in Japan: a systematic review for evaluating unmet medical needs.

To optimize patient prognosis, patient needs, including unmet needs, should be adequately assessed. However, such needs are more challenging to report and, consequently, more likely to go unmet compared with the needs reported by physicians. We aimed to determine the appropriate direction of future research on unmet medical needs in rheumatic diseases in Japan by conducting a literature review. We searched PubMed and Web of Science using 23 terms linked to unmet medical needs for major rheumatic diseases in Japan. Further, we collected articles on health-related quality of life and investigated the scales used for assessment, as well as whether the terms "unmet needs" or "unmet medical needs" were used. We identified 949 papers on 10 diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, dermatomyositis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, adult-onset Still's disease, antiphospholipid syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease, Takayasu arteritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and Behçet's disease; 25 of the 949 papers were selected for full-text review. Fifteen articles on five diseases were related to health-related quality of life. The term "unmet needs" was used in only one article. Six out of 15 studies used the 36-item short form survey, whereas the scales used in other studies differed. The optimal treatment plan determined by a physician may not necessarily align with the best interests of the patient. In clinical research, cross sectional and standardized indicators of health-related quality of life should be employed along with highly discretionary questionnaires to assess and optimize resource allocation in healthcare and simultaneously achieve patient-desired outcomes.

Transitions in vascular ultrasonography findings of temporal arteritis in a GCA case with progressive temporal headache and visual impairment.

The European League Against Rheumatism and the American College of Rheumatology have stated that the halo sign on vascular ultrasonography (v-US) is relevant in diagnosing giant cell arteritis (GCA) and is equivalent to temporal artery biopsy. However, there are only a few reports about transitions in v-US findings after glucocorticoid (GC) therapy. We report the transitions in the v-US findings in a case of GCA after GC therapy. The patient had rapidly progressive symptoms, and there were concerns about blindness. After GC therapy, we first observed improvement in headache and visual impairment symptoms within 1 week, followed by rapid improvement in laboratory findings within 2 weeks. Subsequently, there were improvements in v-US findings after more than 2 months. In conclusion, these findings showed a dissociation between improvements in clinical symptoms and v-US findings of the temporal artery. Additionally, this case suggests that regular examination of v-US findings is useful in evaluating GCA with evident vascular wall thickness before GC therapy.

Polyarteritis nodosa diagnosed in a young male after COVID-19 vaccine: A case report.

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine was rapidly developed and the effectiveness of the vaccine has been established. However, various adverse effects have been reported, including the development of autoimmune diseases. We report a case of new-onset polyarteritis nodosa in a 32-year-old male following the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination. The patient developed limb pain, fever, pulmonary embolism, multiple subcutaneous nodules, and haematomas. Skin biopsy revealed necrotising inflammation accompanied by fibrinoid necrosis and high inflammatory cell infiltration in the walls of medium to small arteries. The symptoms resolved following corticosteroid treatment. Although it is difficult to prove a relationship between the vaccine and polyarteritis nodosa, similar cases have been reported and further reports and analyses are therefore necessary.

Performance of classification and diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related disease and comparison of patients with and without IgG4-related disease.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) was recently described in Japan. It is characterised by extensive organ involvement with tissue fibrosis. We assessed the performance of the 2019 American College of Rheumatology and European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria and the 2020 revised comprehensive diagnostic (RCD) criteria as well as differences between patients with and without IgG4-RD. In this retrospective, single-centre study of 50 patients admitted with suspected IgG4-RD, we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of both criteria. We also compared clinical characteristics and laboratory data of patients with IgG4-RD (n = 42) and patients without IgG4-RD (n = 8). The ACR/EULAR classification criteria had 88.1% sensitivity and 87.5% specificity for IgG4-RD diagnosis. The RCD criteria had 100% sensitivity and 50% specificity. Patients with IgG4-RD had significantly more affected organs (p = 0.002). Patients with a single affected organ and IgG4-RD had significantly higher serum IgG4/IgG ratios (p = 0.027), lower serum C-reactive protein levels (p = 0.020), and lower total haemolytic complement activity (p = 0.044) than those without IgG4-RD. The ACR/EULAR classification criteria have high specificity and the RCD criteria have high sensitivity for diagnosing IgG4-RD. The number of affected organs is important for diagnosing IgG4-RD.

Safety of tacrolimus use during pregnancy and related pregnancy outcomes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A retrospective single-center analysis in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: Tacrolimus is one of the drugs that can be used in pregnancies complicated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but there are still few reports on its pregnancy outcomes. Although tacrolimus has been reported to cause adverse events, such as increased blood pressure, abnormal glucose metabolism, and susceptibility to infection, there have been no studies on the impact of tacrolimus in SLE pregnancies at these points. We performed a retrospective observational study of pregnancies complicated by SLE at St Luke's International Hospital in Tokyo from April 2003 to August 2021. METHODS: Basic clinical information on SLE, pregnancy outcomes, disease activity before and after pregnancy, laboratory results, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, treatment regimens, and presence of infection was extracted from electronic medical records. We defined overall adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) as follows: (1) fetal death after 10 gestational weeks, (2) preterm delivery, (3) delivery due to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preeclampsia, or placental insufficiency, or (4) the diagnosis of small for gestational age infants. We also examined whether there was a statistical difference in APO incidence between patients treated with and without tacrolimus. RESULTS: Pregnancy outcomes were obtained for 48 patients with a total of 60 pregnancies complicated by SLE. In 20 (33.3%) of these pregnancies, the patients took tacrolimus, and 28 (46.7%) of the pregnancies had APOs. APO incidence did not statistically differ between the tacrolimus and non-tacrolimus groups in the multivariate analysis (p = 1.00, adjusted OR 1, 95% CI: 0.23-4.39). Multiple regression analyses indicated that tacrolimus use did not significantly affect systolic blood pressure in the third trimester (B = -2.23, p = .74) or blood glucose levels in the first trimester (B = 10.2, p = .056). Incidence of infections did not significantly differ between patients treated with and without tacrolimus in the univariate analysis (10.8% vs. 21.1%, p = .42). CONCLUSION: Tacrolimus did not significantly affect pregnancy outcomes, blood pressure, or glucose levels. Further research is required to confirm its effects in a larger population.

Autoantibodies in lupus nephritis useful in distinguishing proliferative nephritis from membranous nephritis.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determine autoantibodies associated with lupus nephritis (LN), especially those useful in diagnosing proliferative and membranous nephritis. METHODS: A total of 106 patients with LN and 63 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus but no nephritis were enrolled; then, 55 patients were selected from the LN group and were divided into two groups: proliferative nephritis patients (n = 36) and membranous nephritis patients (n = 19). The autoantibody profiles of patients' sera were evaluated using the EUROLINE ANA Profile 3 (IgG) kit. RESULTS: A higher positivity rate of anti-double-stranded DNA antibody and anti-histone antibody was seen in LN patients compared to nonrenal systemic lupus erythematosus patients. In comparing between proliferative and membranous nephritis, the positivity of anti-nucleosome antibody was higher in proliferative nephritis, although it was not statistically significant. However, anti-nucleosome antibody-positive patients with LN had a higher prevalence of haematuria and pyuria, which are strong indications of proliferative nephritis. Also, a significantly higher positivity rate of anti-RNP70 antibody was seen in membranous nephritis compared to proliferative nephritis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that anti-nucleosome and anti-RNP70 antibodies may be predictive nonhistological factors for discriminating between proliferative and membranous LN.

Changes in anti-MDA5 antibody titres and serum cytokine levels before and after diagnosis of anti-MDA5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis.

OBJECTIVES: Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive DM is characterized by rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease and has a poor prognosis. We aimed to investigate whether anti-MDA5 antibody titres and cytokine levels predict clinical course, and evaluate changes in both parameters before and after diagnosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-centre study in 38 patients with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive DM. We compared clinical characteristics and laboratory data at diagnosis between patients in the treatment response (n = 23) and non-response (n = 15) groups, and between those in the relapse (n = 5) and non-relapse (n = 24) groups. We also measured serum anti-MDA5 antibody titres and cytokine levels before and after diagnosis. RESULTS: The non-response group was older, had a higher ground-glass opacity score, lower PaO2/FiO2, higher CRP level, and higher anti-MDA5 antibody titre than the response group. No cytokines significantly differed between groups at diagnosis. The relapse group had a significantly higher anti-MDA5 antibody titre than the non-relapse group. In the survivor group, the anti-MDA5 antibody titre and levels of IFN-α, IFN-γ, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-6, IL-33, CRP, and ferritin were significantly lower 6 months post-treatment than at diagnosis. Macrophage-associated cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, IL-18 and MCP-1 increased after anti-MDA5 antibody positivity in three patients who were anti-MDA5 antibody-positive before diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The anti-MDA5 antibody titre at diagnosis may predict the clinical course. Levels of macrophage-associated cytokines significantly declined at 6 months post-treatment, and they may have increased after anti-MDA5 antibody titre positivity.

Efficacy of plasma exchange therapy for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage in patients with microscopic polyangiitis.

INTRODUCTION: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is associated with high mortality. We examined the efficacy of plasma exchange (PE) therapy for reducing mortality in patients with patients with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and DAH. METHODS: In this 52-week, nonrandomized, open-label, one-arm, historical control, double-center controlled trial, four patients with MPA and DAH admitted to Juntendo University Hospital or Juntendo Koto Geriatric Medical Center between 2018 and 2021 were enrolled. Sixteen patients with MPA and DAH admitted to the two centers between 1998 and 2018 who did not receive PE were included as the historical control group. The primary outcome was the 52-week survival rate of patients in each treatment arm. RESULTS: The 52-week survival rate of patients in the PE group (n = 4) was higher than that of the historical control group (n = 16) (100% vs. 13%, p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: We found that PE may be efficacious for reducing mortality in patients with MPA and DAH.

Efficacy of cytapheresis for induction therapy and extra-intestinal skin manifestations of ulcerative colitis.

INTRODUCTION: In recent years, the prevalence of inflammatory bowel diseases has been increasing in Japan due to the westernization of lifestyles. Many patients have been reported to have extra-intestinal manifestations (EIMs) at least once. Skin lesions occur with a high degree of frequency among EIMs, with erythema nodosum (EN) and pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) the main complications. Cytapheresis is again attracting attention as a treatment with few side effects. METHODS: We investigated the therapeutic effect of cytapheresis on ulcerative colitis (UC) and cutaneous EIMs. Between 2008 and 2021, 240 patients with active UC had induction therapy by cytapheresis at our hospital. RESULTS: Remission and response rates were 50.0% and 67.5%, respectively. Apheresis was performed on seven patients with PG and five patients with EN with a good response. Serious adverse events were not observed. CONCLUSION: This retrospective assessment of efficacy showed that EN and PG responded favorably to cytapheresis.

Grafting of autologous concentrated bone marrow processed using a point-of-care device for patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head: A phase 1 feasibility and safety study.

Introduction: Along with the accumulating reports of autologous concentrated bone marrow (CBM) grafting for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), the related medical device, a "point-of-care device" has also been recently developed. However, no study has confirmed the feasibility, safety, and efficiency of CBM grafting using a specific point-of-care device. Materials and methods: We designed this phase I, prospective clinical study to evaluate the feasibility and safety of autologous CBM grafting processed using a point-of-care device, the BioCUE system, in patients with ONFH. The primary outcomes were the safety and adverse event (AE), the secondary outcomes included pain score; hip function score; ONFH stage using X-ray; and the volume of the osteonecrotic area on 3T MRI. Besides, safety quality tests on the final product of concentrated bone marrow were performed. Results: Two patients (a 34-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman; three hips) with systemic lupus erythematosus were included. The incidence of AEs was 100% such as pain or transient fever after the operation, but all AEs were nonserious. No peri-operative complications were observed. Pain and hip function score remained unchanged from the preoperative to the postoperative observational periods. Safety quality test demonstrated were all negative or under the threshold. Conclusion: The feasibility and safety of grafting of concentrated autologous CBM in patients with ONFH using a point-of-care device were confirmed. A further clinical study aiming for the authorization of this procedure should be conducted in the future.

Effect of Prophylactic Dose of Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole on Serum Creatinine in Japanese Patients With Connective Tissue Diseases.

Objectives: At normal doses of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), trimethoprim inhibits tubular creatinine secretion, leading to a rapid but reversible increase in serum creatinine (SCr). Although patients with connective tissue diseases are often in the state of immunosuppression and TMP/SMX is an important prophylactic drug, clinicians often have to stop or reduce the dosage due to concerns regarding its effect on renal function. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a prophylactic dose of TMP/SMX on SCr in Japanese patients with connective tissue diseases, the extent of SCr level elevation and the independent risk factors for creatinine elevation. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken. Participants included patients with connective tissue diseases who were treated with a prophylactic dose of TMP/SMX between 2004 and 2018. Using single and multiple regression analyses, the risk factors that affected SCr elevation were evaluated. Results: A total of 262 patients, females, n = 181; age, median (range) = 59 (19-89) years, were included. The median baseline SCr level before treatment was 0.62 (0.16-2.1) mg/dL. The median SCr elevation value was 0.07 (-0.54 to 0.84) mg/dL in 4 weeks after TMP/SMX initiation. Five (2%) participants had ⩾0.3 mg/dL SCr elevation. Multiple regression analyses, including age, baseline SCr, diuretic use, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use and diabetes mellitus, indicated that baseline SCr and advanced age were independent risk factors of SCr elevation. Conclusions: These results demonstrated that baseline SCr and advanced age were associated with SCr elevation by a prophylactic dose of TMP/SMX. However, a prophylactic dose of TMP/SMX rarely elevated the SCr level significantly. Therefore, other causes can be considered if patients show an SCr elevation ⩾0.3 mg/dL.

Novel susceptibility loci for steroid-associated osteonecrosis of the femoral head in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) involves necrosis of bone and bone marrow of the femoral head caused by ischemia with unknown etiology. Previous genetic studies on ONFH failed to produce consistent results, presumably because ONFH has various causes with different genetic backgrounds and the underlying diseases confounded the associations. Steroid-associated ONFH (S-ONFH) accounts for one-half of all ONFH, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a representative disease underlying S-ONFH. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic risk factors for S-ONFH in patients with SLE. We conducted a two-staged GWAS on 636 SLE patients with S-ONFH and 95 588 non-SLE controls. Among the novel loci identified, we determined S-ONFH-specific loci by comparing allele frequencies between SLE patients without S-ONFH and non-SLE controls. We also used Korean datasets comprising 148 S-ONFH cases and 37 015 controls to assess overall significance. We evaluated the functional annotations of significant variants by in silico analyses. The Japanese GWAS identified 4 significant loci together with 12 known SLE susceptibility loci. The four significant variants showed comparable effect sizes on S-ONFH compared with SLE controls and non-SLE controls. Three of the four loci, MIR4293/MIR1265 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.99, P-value = 1.1 × 10-9)], TRIM49/NAALAD2 (OR = 1.65, P-value = 4.8 × 10-8) and MYO16 (OR = 3.91, P-value = 4.9 × 10-10), showed significant associations in the meta-analysis with Korean datasets. Bioinformatics analyses identified MIR4293, NAALAD2 and MYO16 as candidate causal genes. MIR4293 regulates a PPARG-related adipogenesis pathway relevant to S-ONFH. We identified three novel susceptibility loci for S-ONFH in SLE.

Bacteremia in systemic lupus erythematosus: Risk factors, clinical and microbiological characteristics, and outcomes in the largest single-center retrospective cohort in Japan.

BACKGROUND: In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), infections, especially bacteremia, can occur throughout the course of the disease and are often fatal. We evaluated the characteristics of patients with bacteremia and SLE. METHODS: In this retrospective single-center observational study, we analyzed bacteremia in 65 patients with SLE. We compared the group that survived to the group that died. To compare demographic and clinical characteristics between groups, the Mann-Whitney U test was used for non-normally distributed variables. Categorical variables were compared using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The median observation period was 39 (interquartile range: 6-74) months. The median age was 54 (43-64) years. Patients consisted of six males and 59 females. In 49 cases, the patient survived. In 16 cases, the patient died. The dead group was older, with lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores, higher sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores, and lower fibrinogen levels. CONCLUSION: When physicians encounter patients with suspected bacteremia, they should pay attention to the consciousness assessment and SOFA score, and be aware of infections caused by common microorganisms and opportunistic infections.