NSAID-induced deleterious effects on the proximal and mid small bowel in seronegative spondyloarthropathy patients.

AIM: To investigate the small bowel of seronegative spondyloarthropathy (SpA) patients in order to ascertain the presence of mucosal lesions. METHODS: Between January 2008 and June 2010, 54 consecutive patients were enrolled and submitted to a video capsule endoscopy (VCE) examination. History and demographic data were taken, as well as the history of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) consumption. After reading each VCE recording, a capsule endoscopy scoring index for small bowel mucosal inflammatory change (Lewis score) was calculated. Statistical analysis of the data was performed. RESULTS: The Lewis score for the whole cohort was 397.73. It was higher in the NSAID consumption subgroup (P = 0.036). The difference in Lewis score between NSAID users and non-users was reproduced for the first and second proximal tertiles of the small bowel, but not for its distal third (P values of 0.036, 0.001 and 0.18, respectively). There was no statistical significant difference between the groups with regard to age or sex of the patients. CONCLUSION: The intestinal inflammatory involvement of SpA patients is more prominent in NSAID users for the proximal/mid small bowel, but not for its distal part.

Neuromyelitis optica--complication or comorbidity in primary Sjögren's syndrome?

We report two cases of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) associated with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), comparing the clinical and laboratory features of these predominant neurological patients and reporting their different outcome. NMO - a severe demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system - primarily affects the spinal cord and optic nerves, resulting in longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis and/or optic neuritis. Our patients had a late pSS diagnosis, due to the absence of sicca syndrome and specific Sjögren serology in the early stages of their diseases, when the neurological symptoms prevailed. Many NMO patients have an accompanying autoimmune disease, most commonly Sjögren syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus or a related profile of non-organ-specific autoantibodies. Neurologic involvement occurs in approximately 20% of patients with pSS, usually preceding the diagnosis (in 75-80% of the cases) [1,2]. The frequency of both neurologic manifestations (revealing pSS) and negative autoimmune serology, especially in the event of CNS involvement, could explain why underlying pSS is misdiagnosed [3,4]. Screening for pSS should be systematically performed in cases of acute or chronic myelopathy and/or cranial nerve involvement, mainly because these patients have a severe outcome. The presence of the anti-aquaporin4 antibodies, besides anti-Ro and anti-La, in both reported cases, is intriguing and raises the question of whether we are facing two distinct diseases or the NMO is just complicating an unusually less expressive Sjögren's syndrome subtype.

Platelet histogram indices and cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND; Previous studies reported the increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to the general population. However, the predictors for the development of CVD in patients with RA were not clearly established, and the role of thrombosis mechanisms was inconsistently characterized in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the platelet histogram indices, as markers of platelet activation, in patients with RA with or without CVD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 64 pts with RA (mean age: 58.0 +/- 12.7 yrs) we performed the standard clinical evaluation and biochemical workup with platelet histogram, including mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) as markers of platelet activation. We divided the study population into two groups: A - 41 patients with RA without CVD and B - 23 patients with RA and CVD (ischemic heart disease, peripheral artery disease or cerebrovascular disease). The values of MPV and PDW were also analyzed in an age- and sex-mached control group of 20 subjects without RA and CVD and in a group of 62 patients with CVD without RA (stable angina). RESULTS: The platelets number was similar in both groups, but the platelet histogram showed higher values for MPV (9.6 vs. 8.6 fL, p < 0.01) and PDW (16.1 vs. 14.0, p < 0.01) in patients with RA and CVD, reflecting greater platelet activation in these patients. MPV values were lower in patients with RA, but the values of PDW were higher in these patients comparing to control. Patients with RA with CVD have higher values of PDW than patients with CVD, but without RA, showing an increased platelet activation in RA. The PDW values correlate with fibrinogen (0.63; p = 0.003) but not with CRP or ESR, while the MPV was not correlated with the inflammatory markers in patients with RA. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogensis of CVD in patients with RA may be linked to an increased prothrombotic activity which might be evaluated by platelet histogram indices.

Endothelial dysfunction in inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

The importance of cardiovascular disease in inflammatory rheumatic diseases was recognized as one of the determinants of increased mortality in these patients. An increased cardiovascular disease was reported in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but also in other rheumatic diseases. Several hypotheses were elaborated, but the chronic inflammatory status seems to be a primordial factor. Therefore, the diagnostic and treatment of cardiovascular disease, even in subclinical status, should be one of most important goals in the global management of these patients. The endothelial dysfunction is now regarded as an important and early step in the processes that promote atherosclerosis. In patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, the presence of the endothelial dysfunction was reported and linked with several clinical or biological features of each disease. Moreover, the potential benefits on the endothelial dysfunction of several therapies were assessed especially in patients with RA or SLE. The aim of this article is to review the impact of the endothelial dysfunction and the methods to improve it in patients with these conditions.

Kikuchi's disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and autoimmune-like hepatitis.

The authors present a case of Kikuchi's disease associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune-like hepatitis. Kikuchi's disease, or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis is occasionally associated with SLE and mildly elevated aminotransferases. A 17-year old woman presented with fever, arthritis and bilateral cervical adenopathy. Histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations of an excised lymph node showed evidence of Kikuchi disease. An elevation of hepatocytic enzymes (aminotransferases and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase) associated with smooth muscle antibodies in a titer of 1/320 was present. Clinical symptoms and laboratory tests improved after "pulse" corticotherapy. The association described has not been described in the literature, but is considered possible due to the immune pathogenicity of the 3 simultaneous diseases. Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease, or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (HNL), is a rare condition first described in 1972 independently by Kikuchi and Fujimoto. HNL is rarely associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is a benign illness characterized by fever and cervical adenopathy and has a self-limiting course.