Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA in the SLICC classification criteria dataset.

OBJECTIVE: Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA is a common isotype of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I in SLE. Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I was not included in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) SLE classification criteria, but was included in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anti-beta 2-glycoprotein I IgA in SLE versus other rheumatic diseases. In addition, we examined the association between anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA and disease manifestations in SLE. METHODS: The dataset consisted of 1384 patients, 657 with a consensus physician diagnosis of SLE and 727 controls with other rheumatic diseases. Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I isotypes were measured by ELISA. Patients with a consensus diagnosis of SLE were compared to controls with respect to presence of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I. Among patients with SLE, we assessed the association between anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA and clinical manifestations. RESULTS: The prevalence of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA was 14% in SLE patients and 7% in rheumatic disease controls (odds ratio, OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.6, 3.3). It was more common in SLE patients who were younger patients and of African descent (p = 0.019). Eleven percent of SLE patients had anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA alone (no anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgG or IgM). There was a significant association between anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA and anti-dsDNA (p = 0.001) and the other antiphospholipid antibodies (p = 0.0004). There was no significant correlation of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA with any of the other ACR or SLICC clinical criteria for SLE. Those with anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA tended to have a history of thrombosis (12% vs 6%, p = 0.071), but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: We found the anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA isotype to be more common in patients with SLE and in particular, with African descent. It could occur alone without other isotypes.

Comparison of the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Classification Criteria With Two Sets of Earlier Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Classification Criteria.

OBJECTIVE: The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) 2012 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) classification criteria and the revised American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1997 criteria are list based, counting each SLE manifestation equally. We derived a classification rule based on giving variable weights to the SLICC criteria and compared its performance to the revised ACR 1997, the unweighted SLICC 2012, and the newly reported European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/ACR 2019 criteria sets. METHODS: The physician-rated patient scenarios used to develop the SLICC 2012 classification criteria were reemployed to devise a new weighted classification rule using multiple linear regression. The performance of the rule was evaluated on an independent set of expert-diagnosed patient scenarios and compared to the performance of the previously reported classification rules. RESULTS: The weighted SLICC criteria and the EULAR/ACR 2019 criteria had less sensitivity but better specificity compared to the list-based revised ACR 1997 and SLICC 2012 classification criteria. There were no statistically significant differences between any pair of rules with respect to overall agreement with the physician diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The 2 new weighted classification rules did not perform better than the existing list-based rules in terms of overall agreement on a data set originally generated to assess the SLICC criteria. Given the added complexity of summing weights, researchers may prefer the unweighted SLICC criteria. However, the performance of a classification rule will always depend on the populations from which the cases and non-cases are derived and whether the goal is to prioritize sensitivity or specificity.

Protean Neurologic Manifestations of Two Rare Dermatologic Disorders: Sweet Disease and Localized Craniofacial Scleroderma.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To describe diverse neurologic and neuroradiologic presentations of two rare, immunologically mediated skin conditions: Sweet disease and localized scleroderma (morphea). RECENT FINDINGS: Core syndromes of neuro-Sweet disease (NSD) are steroid responsiveness, recurrent meningitis, and encephalitis. Focal neurologic, neuro-vascular, and neuro-ophthalmologic syndromes have been reported recently in NSD. A variety of steroid-sparing treatments and biologics have been used for relapsing NSD. Localized craniofacial scleroderma is associated with seizures, headaches, and, less commonly, focal deficits and cognitive decline. Immunosuppressive therapy may be required in patients with disease progression; some refractory cases have responded to IL-6 inhibition. Our review provides an up-to-date reference for neurologists faced with a patient with a history or skin findings consistent with Sweet disease or localized scleroderma. We hope that it will stimulate collaborative studies aimed at unraveling the pathogenesis of these disorders, better characterization of their neurologic manifestations, and discovery of optimal therapeutic solutions.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of topical nitrates in the treatment of primary and secondary Raynaud's phenomenon.

BACKGROUND: Multiple placebo-controlled trials have assessed locally applied topical nitrate preparations in treating Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). OBJECTIVES: The objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the effects of local topical nitrates in primary and secondary RP with respect to a combined end point integrating parameters of digital blood flow and clinical severity. METHODS: A systematic review was performed using MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane library. Only trials comparing locally applied topical nitrates with placebo comparators were included. Studies were appraised for bias by 2 independent reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 7 placebo-controlled trials including 346 patients were used in the meta-analysis; 4 trials used nitroglycerin ointments, 2 used the nitroglycerin gel vehicle MQX-503, and 1 used compounded nitrite. The meta-analysis results supported a moderate-to-large treatment effect in RP (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.70; 95% CI, 0.35-1.05; P < .0001). Subgroup analyses showed a large treatment effect in secondary RP (SMD = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.25-1.65; P = .008) and moderate effect in primary RP (SMD = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.05-0.85; P = .03). LIMITATIONS: Limitations include the inclusion of multiple topical nitrate preparations and integration of different outcomes assessments. CONCLUSION: Local topical nitrates have significant efficacy in the treatment of both primary and secondary RP.

Topical drug-induced subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus isolated to the hands.

Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) is a well-defined subtype of lupus erythematosus, characterised by photosensitivity, annular and/or psoriasiform lesions, variable systemic involvement and presence of circulating SSA/anti-Ro antibodies. SCLE may be idiopathic or drug-induced. Both the idiopathic and drug-induced forms of SCLE are analogous in their clinical, serological and histological features. Drug-induced SCLE has been reported with various oral agents, but to our knowledge this is the first reported case due to a topical medication. A 34-year-old female foot masseuse presented with a 2-month history of scaly, erythematous lesions isolated to the dorsal hands and interdigital spaces. She had used topical terbinafine, a topical antifungal cream, to her clients' feet for a number of years. ANA and anti-SSA/Ro antibodies were positive. Physical examination, serology and histopathology were consistent with SCLE. We propose that our patient's unique presentation of SCLE may be explained by a prolonged occupational exposure to topical terbinafine as a foot masseuse. While oral terbinafine is a drug known to cause drug-induced SCLE, to our knowledge, this is the first topically induced form of the disease.

Primary anetoderma with undifferentiated connective tissue disease.

Anetoderma is a rare benign elastolytic disorder that is characterized by focal loss of elastin fibers on histopathology and is often recalcitrant to treatment. We present a case of a patient with a 20-year history of pruritic and painful hyperpigmented atrophic papules clustered on the neck, axillae, inframammary folds, and right medial thigh. Although the histopathologyof her axillary lesions was consistent with anetoderma, her clinical presentation is unusual given the extent of involvement, reported pain and pruritus, and sharp demarcation of the distribution. The diagnosticuncertainty of this case led to added difficulty in management of a disease that is already notoriously difficult to treat and may significantly impact patient's quality of life.

Anti-MDA5 Antibody Dermatomyositis Overlap with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Dermatomyositis (DM) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease that primarily targets the muscle, skin, and lungs. Many patients have autoantibodies that correspond to distinct clinical phenotypes. Melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (anti-MDA5) antibody, a specific antibody that targets the melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5), has been reported in DM cases and is significant for a distinct cutaneous presentation and rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease. OBJECTIVE: Herein, we describe a patient with DM with a positive anti-MDA5 antibody and characteristic clinical phenotype, who subsequently developed coexisting systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A diagnosis of SLE was supported by his clinical phenotype, positive serologies, hypocomplementemia, and progression to glomerulonephritis and lupus cerebritis, features of which fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE. CONCLUSION: DM is known to overlap with other autoimmune diseases, including SLE, and coexistence can lead to a wide variety of clinical presentations. SLE overlapping with anti-MDA5 positive DM may present with distinct clinical features.

Lichen planus pigmentosus.

Lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) is a type oflichenoid dermatitis with superficial dermalmelanophages that presents as symmetrical,hyperpigmented macules and patches that aredistributed over the forehead, temples, cheeks, andneck. The condition most often occurs in darkerskinned individuals and is frequently resistant totreatment. Here we present a patient of Egyptiandecent with a lacy reticulated LPP eruption on theface.

Dermatomyositis, clinically presenting with cutaneous ulcers, with histopathologic evidence of perforating collagenosis.

Dermatomyositis is a systemic, autoimmune diseasewith a variety of clinical features that often includemyositis and characteristic cutaneous findings. Asubset of patients with dermatomyositis developcutaneous ulcers, often in the setting of vasculitis orvasculopathy. We present a case of dermatomyositiswith cutaneous ulcers that show perforatingcollagenosis on histopathologic examination.Acquired reactive perforating collagenosistypically occurs in the setting of diabetes mellitus,chronic renal failure, and other pruritic conditions,and this case represents a rare association withdermatomyositis, which may ultimately be helpful inelucidating the pathophysiology of this perforatingdisorder.