| Autoimmune Medical News by Date |
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| June 2009 |
| Autoimmune thyroid disorders in patients with psoriasis. This is the first study that investigated autoimmune thyroid disorders in patients with psoriasis who did not have arthritis. We believed that thyroid autoimmunity in patients with psoriasis was no different from that found in healthy individuals. U Gul. Eur J Dermatol. 2009 May-Jun (Also see: Psoriasis and Thyroid Disease) |
| Treatment of sicca symptoms with hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. This retrospective study was performed in order to evaluate the efficacy of HCQ for glandular function, i.e. saliva and tear production. HCQ treatment led to a beneficial effect on xerostomia in patients with pSS who lack severe organ manifestations. Markus Rih. Rheumatology. May 11, 2009. (Also see: Sjögren’s) |
| Back pain and sacroiliitis in long-standing adult celiac disease: a cross-sectional and follow-up study. There have been only scattered reports suggesting that musculoskeletal manifestations including back pain and sacroiliac joint involvement may be associated with celiac disease. In a follow-up study of eight patients, after 11 years on a gluten-free diet, the great majority of patients had no clinical symptoms; yet, a subclinical progression of the sacroiliac joint involvement could be verified. (SpringerLink) E. Vereckei. Rheumatology International. June 6 2009. (Also see: Celiac Disease) |
| Can infections protect against autoimmunity? Studies using animal models have shown that some infectious agents or products derived from them have the potential to inhibit the onset of autoimmunity. These studies have led to the suggestion that human autoimmune or allergic diseases might be alleviated by the use of microbial products. W. Gaisford. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. Volume 21, Issue 4,p 391-396. July 2009. (Also see: Autoimmunity) |
| Biologic therapy in primary systemic vasculitis of the young. Our data provide retrospective evidence of efficacy of biologic therapy, and highlight the associated infectious complications. D. Eleftherion. Rheumatology Advance Access. June 17 2009. (Also see: Vasculitis) |
| The lifestyle of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and the effect on fatigue and functional impairments. No relationship was found between lifestyle factors and fatigue severity and functional impairments in CFS. (IngentaConnect) M.M. Goedendorp. Journal of Human Nutritition & Dietetics. Vol 22, No 3, June 2009 , pp. 226-231(6). (Also see: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) |
| Polymyositis with dysphagia treated with endoscopic balloon dilatation. We report a case of an 80-year-old man who was referred to our clinic with a chief complaint of dysphagia and muscle weakness in all four limbs. The patient was diagnosed with polymyositis. Endoscopic balloon dilation was performed and dysphagia improved on the same day. Therefore, we suggest that this method is a safe and effective approach for polymyositis with dysphagia. (PubMed) H. Nagano. Auris Nasus Larynx. May 28 2009. (Also see: Polymyositis) |
| Fatigue in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS): relationships with disease-specific variables, depression, and sleep disturbance. Even though disease activity had a considerable effect on fatigue, the effects of psychogenic factors, especially depression, should be taken into consideration in the management of AS. (SpringerLink) R. Gunaydin. Clinical Rheumatology. June 7 2009. (Also see: Ankylosing Spondylitis) |
| Autonomic Dysfunction in Fibromyalgia (FM) Assessed by the Composite Autonomic Symptoms Scale (COMPASS). There is a correlation between a questionnaire that measures FM severity (FIQ) and an autonomic dysfunction questionnaire (COMPASS). Such correlation suggests that autonomic dysfunction is inherent to FM. C. Solano, MD. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology. June 2009. (Also see: Fibromyalgia) |
| Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is as efficacious as, but safer than, cyclophosphamide (CYC) in the treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis: a meta-analysis and meta-regression. MMF offers similar efficacy in renal remission and survival as CYC, and appears safer in the treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis. A. Mak. Rheumatology Advance Access. June 3 2009. (Also see: Lupus Symptoms and Lupus Treatments) |
| Association of Severe Inflammatory Polyarthritis in Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS): Clinical, Serologic, and HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) Analysis. Severe arthritis with features resembling rheumatoid arthritis including erosive disease can occur in primary SS, particularly among those with anti-citrulline antibodies and the shared epitope (SE). K. Mohammed. JRheum. June 1 2009. (Also see: Sjogren's) |
| Is combination rituximab with cyclophosphamide better than rituximab alone in the treatment of lupus nephritis? Rituximab monotherapy appears to be effective as induction therapy in lupus nephritis. The addition of cyclophosphamide offers no additional improvement in clinical, laboratory and renal histological assessment or the duration of B-cell depletion at 48 weeks. E.K. Li. Rheumatology Advance Access. May 28 2009. (Also see: Lupus) |
| Behçet’s disease (BD) associated with celiac disease (CD): a very rare association. There are common findings between Behçet’s disease (BD) and celiac disease (CD); however, association in the same patient is a rarity. We relate the third case in the literature of this overlap in a 40-year-old woman with history of obstipation since her childhood. Ascertaining whether pathogenic mechanisms are common in these two conditions requires further investigation. (SpringerLink) C. Augusto Muniz Caldas. Rheumatology International. May 15 2009. (Also see: Behcet's and Celiac Disease) |
| Yield of Diagnostic Tests for Celiac Disease in Individuals With Symptoms Suggestive of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Prevalence of biopsy-proved celiac disease in cases meeting diagnostic criteria for IBS was more than 4-fold that in controls without IBS. Alexander C. Ford. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(7):651-658. (Also see: Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome) |
| A Simple Validated Gluten-Free Diet (GFD) Adherence Survey for Adults With Celiac Disease. The Celiac Dietary Adherence Test (CDAT) is a clinically relevant, easily administered, 7-item instrument that allows for standardized evaluation of GFD adherence and is superior to tissue transglutaminase serology. The CDAT may be useful in both research and clinical settings. D. Leffler. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Vol 7, Issue 5, Pages 530-536.e2 (May 2009). (Also see: Celiac Disease) |
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