Clinical features of Japanese children and adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus: Results of 1980–1994 survey

Marked advances have been made in the past decade in the management of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Therefore, a nationwide retrospective survey was conducted between 1980 and 1994 to investigate the clinical manifestations of SLE in Japanese children and adolescents. Questionnaires were sent to 340 hospitals. Of 405 patients reported by 176 hospitals, 373 patients, diagnosed by the criteria established by the Pediatric Study Group of the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1985, were enrolled in the study. Forty-nine of the 354 patients (13.8%) had relatives with a connective tissue disease within the third degree of consanguinity. The frequent manifestations in 373 patients were the presence of antinuclear antibody (98.9%), immunologic disorders (93.0%), hypocomplementemia (87.1%), malar rash (79.6%) and fever (74.0%). Lupus nephritis was present in 148 of the 309 patients (47.9%) at their first visit to a clinic, and 261 of the 373 patients (70.0%) developed renal involvement during the observation period. Of 370 patients, 92 patients (24.9%) exhibited central nervous system lupus. Of 368 patients, 192 patients (52.2%) were treated by methylprednisolone pulse therapy and 148 patients (40.2%) received immunosuppressants in combination with steroid therapy at some stage during the observation period. Survival rate at 5 years from onset was 95.9%. Management of infection, coagulopathies, and central nervous system involvement is essential to improve the prognosis of SLE in Japanese children and adolescents.     

Cardiac tamponade due to systemic lupus erythematosus in a 7-year-old boy with selective IgG subclass deficiency

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was observed in a 7-year-old boy with IgG₂ and IgG₄ subclass deficiencies who had been treated with immunoglobulin (100–200 mg/kg/4 weeks) since 2 years of age. The mother and the half-brother displayed the same deficiency. Serum IgG mainly consisted of IgG₁ (98.9%) during the acute phase of SLE due to transient IgG₃ deficiency. While he had no common manifestations of SLE such as arthritis or nephropathy, he developed cardiac tamponade due to massive pericardial effusion. Conclusion The clinical features of SLE in the present case such as the development of cardiac tamponade and the absence of renal involvement may result from the markedly imbalanced IgG subclass distribution among auto-antibodies. Received: 20 May 1997 and in revised form: 7 October 1997 / Accepted: 21 October 1997     

The frequency and characteristics of ultrasonographic ankle joint involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: A prospective cross-sectional single-center study

The involvement of ankles in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has not been widely studied. The aim of our prospective study was to determine the characteristics of the ankle joint and tendon involvement in SLE using ultrasound (US) as an imaging modality. Sixty consecutive patients with SLE underwent a detailed clinical evaluation and US examination. Gray-scale and power Doppler US of the bilateral tibiotalar (TT) joints, subtalar (ST) joints, and ankle tendons were performed using a multiplanar scanning technique. Joint effusion, synovitis, tenosynovitis, enthesitis, and vascularization were assessed according to the OMERACT recommendations. The Total Ankle Ultrasound Score (TAUSS) was calculated as the sum of the grades of joint effusion and synovial hypertrophy for both TT and ST joints bilaterally (ranging from 0–24) and power Doppler activity was assessed separately. Finally, US findings were correlated with physical evaluation, laboratory parameters, and SLE activity scores. US ankle joint involvement was present in 32/60 (53.3%) patients. TT joints were affected in 26 (43.3%) and ST joints in 16 (26.7%) patients. Thirteen (21.7%) patients had US tendons and/or enthesal involvement. TT joint effusion was the most frequent finding, present in 55/240 (22.9%) examined joints, followed by synovial hypertrophy detected in 18/240 (7.5%) joints. The median (interquartile range; range) TAUSS of the US-affected joints was 1 (0–2; range 1–10). There were no significant correlations between US findings and inflammatory parameters or serological parameters of disease activity, but we found a weak positive correlation between TAUSS and the European Consensus Lupus Activity Measurement (r = 0.281, P = .029). This study revealed a high prevalence of pathological US ankle changes in patients with SLE and a positive correlation between ankle US involvement and disease activity score (European Consensus Lupus Activity Measurement).     

发热 贫血 血小板减少 神经系统异常

患儿男,13岁7个月。2010-11-04以发热伴面色苍白1周为主诉入住中国医科大学附属第一医院儿科病房。患儿1周前开始无诱因发热伴颈部包块,无触痛,咳嗽无痰,体温最高达39℃,同时伴有面色苍白、乏力,无皮肤黄染,尿色略黄。曾于当地医院就诊,静滴抗炎类药物3d(具体药物不详),病情无好转,化验发现贫血严重。患儿病来时有烦躁,无水肿,睡眠可,精神差,进食差,鼻衄2次,黑便1次,无明显腹痛及尿量减少。     

Successful treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura with plasmapheresis and anti-CD20 antibodies in a patient with immune thrombocytopenia and systemic lupus erythematosus: Case report

Rationale:Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology with diverse clinical and laboratory manifestations, including thrombocytopenia. About 25% of patients with SLE may be affected by thrombocytopenia, many of whom are asymptomatic. Some patients, however, experience platelet counts that drop quite low and predispose them to bleeding. Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is defined with a classic pentad of clinical features, such as thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, neurological symptoms and signs, renal symptoms and signs, and fever. The association of TTP and SLE has been sporadically reported in the literature.Patient concerns and diagnosis:We describe a 16-year-old girl with SLE and immune thrombocytopenia, in whom TTP was diagnosed.Interventions and outcomes:She was treated with pulse methylprednisolone, whose platelet counts normalized after therapy with plasmapheresis and an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab).Conclusion:A pediatric patient with SLE and immune thrombocytopenia in whom TTP developed was treated with plasmapheresis and rituximab therapy successfully, though the patient experienced a disease relapsed after 18 months, which was controlled by the same management.     

挑战:巨噬细胞活化综合征和脓毒症相关噬血细胞淋巴组织细胞增生症

无论原发性还是继发性噬血细胞淋巴组织细胞增生症都可能是致死性的,早期发现和及时治疗是改变结局的关键.虽然在基因缺陷和免疫发病机制研究进展的基础上形成的免疫化疗和定向免疫治疗使部分患儿的生存率得到了改善,但在ICU降低噬血细胞淋巴组织细胞增生症的病死率依然面临挑战.持续发热、伴随凝血异常的特殊性肝功能不良、高甘油三脂血症、血细胞减少和异常升高的血清铁蛋白是重要的诊断线索.明确患者自然杀伤细胞在脓毒症和自身免疫性疾病不同阶段的情况将引导创新免疫介入治疗的实现.     

养阴清热 补肾化瘀中药联合CTX治疗狼疮性肾炎的临床研究

目的:观察养阴清热,补肾化瘀法联合环磷酰胺(CTX)治疗狼疮性肾炎的疗效。方法:采用随机、平行、对照比较方法,分中医组、中西医组两组,均为上海市中医医院风湿科门诊和住院病人。每组各30例,共60例,疗程6个月,对蛋白尿及免疫指标进行观察。结果:(1)总有效率分别为中医组96.7%,中西医组93.33%。(2)两组在治疗蛋白尿方面均有疗效(P0.05,P0.01)。(3)中西医结合、中医治疗均能降低血沉(P0.01,P0.05)。(4)中西医结合治疗及中医治疗均能降低dsDNA(P0.05)。中西医结合治疗能升高C4(P0.05)。结论:滋阴清热、补肾化瘀中药联合CTX能改善蛋白尿、调节免疫的作用,减少激素用量。