Influence of age on the clinical and biological characteristics of systemic scleroderma

PURPOSE: The present study was aimed at assessing the influence of age on clinical and biological features of systemic sclerosis. METHODS: This retrospective study included 151 consecutive patients with systemic sclerosis. The median age at diagnosis was 50.0 years (range: 10-84 years). Patients were divided into two groups according to their age (lower than 50.0 years of age: 73 patients, equal to or above 50 years of age: 78 patients). The following features were compared between the two groups: gender, disease duration, extent of skin sclerosis, Crest syndrome, lung fibrosis, secondary Sj?gren's syndrome, antinuclear, anticentromere, and anti-Scl70 antibodies. RESULTS: The disease duration was significantly higher in patients over 50 years of age (7.1 +/- 6.8 years vs 5.5 +/- 5.0 years, P < 0.05). Crest syndrome, secondary Sj?gren's syndrome and anticentromere antibodies were significantly more common in patients over 50 years of age (17/73 vs 30/78, P < 10(-2); 9/73 vs 20/78, P < 10(-2), and 19/73 vs 31/78, P < 0.05; respectively). Anti-Scl70 antibodies were significantly more common in patients under 50 years of age (17/73 vs 10/78, P < 10(-2)). No significant difference was found in regard to the other features. CONCLUSION: The clinical and biological patterns of systemic sclerosis are different according to the age at disease onset. Crest syndrome including anticentromere antibodies and Sj?gren's syndrome is more common in elderly patients, while anti- Scl-70 antibodies are more common in younger patients. This suggests the involvement of various mechanisms in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis, and that these mechanisms may depend on the age.     

Antiphospholipid antibodies in primary Sjögren's syndrome: prevalence and clinical significance in a series of 74 patients

The aim of this study is to determine prevalence, clinical significance of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) including anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), anti-beta2GP1 and lupus anticoagulant (LA) in a cohort of 74 patients with primary Sj?gren's syndrome (pSS) according to revised European criteria. aPL were found in 25 (34%) patients; IgG in 23 (12 had low titres, six moderate titres and five high titres) and IgM in five (three and two had respectively moderate and high titres). Eight (11%) patients were found to have LA; anti-beta2GP1 antibodies were detected only in three (4%) patients. Only two patients with LA, aPL and beta2GP1 had recurrent venous thrombosis. One patient with moderate titres of aPL exhibited recurrent spontaneous foetal losses. Peripheral neuropathies without cryoglobulinemia were more frequent in the aPL group. Other systemic involvements of pSS were the same in both groups with or without aPL. Patients with aPL have more concurrent immunological diseases such as thyroiditis and primary biliary cirrhosis and a higher prevalence of hypergammaglobulinemia (P < 0.05). Even if aPL prevalence reached 30% in pSS, titres were usually low, with a close correlation with hypergammaglobulinemia but not with antiphospholipid syndrome, which is related to positivity of both LA and aPL.     

The antisynthetase syndrome: a subgroup of inflammatory myopathies not to be unrecognized

PURPOSE: Antisynthetase syndrome (AS) is frequently revealed by interstitial lung disease and arthritis. There are mechanic's hand, Raynaud's phenomenon and anti aminoacyl t-RNA synthetase antibodies. The anti JO-1 antibody is the most frequently identified. We report five cases of antisynthetase syndrome with particular clinical features and good response to corticosteroids. METHODS: There are three women and two men with a median age of 59 years at presentation (range: 44-77). Three patients progressively developed AS: the symptoms are dyspnea (three). Raynaud's phenomenon (one), purpura (one) and hyperkeratosis, scaling and fissuring on the lateral sides of the fingers (two). Patients always had skin signs: hyperkeratosis and scaling (five), purpura (one), Raynaud's phenomenon with normal capillaroscopy (two). Lung disease is present in the five cases with interstitial lesions in CT scans (five), trouble of CO diffusion (three/three) and lymphocytic alveolitis (two/two). Moderate muscular disorders are present in five cases (moderate elevated muscular enzyme: five, positive muscle histology: two). Anti-JO-1 antibodies are present in five cases. AS is associated with connective tissue diseases: rheumatoid polyarthritis in one case and Gougerot-Sj?gren in three cases. No malignant tumour is associated. Patients have received oral corticosteroid treatment (five/five) with high doses of intravenous perfusions (three/five) with, initially, a good response. For only one patient, immunosuppressive treatment was necessary because of the articular relapse. The interstitial lung disease had a good response to corticosteroids therapy alone in four cases. Because of the relapse during the tapering off of corticosteroids, corticosteroids were increased in one case and immunosuppressive therapy was required in one case. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of AS depends of the interstitial lung disease. High doses of corticosteroids are required. In our study, the response to corticosteroids is good. Immunosuppressive agents must be added in severe and progressive form of interstitial lung disease in AS.     

Cogan syndrome or sarcoidosis?

INTRODUCTION: The Cogan's syndrome is characterized by the association of vestibulo-auditory dysfunction, non syphilitic interstitial keratitis or another significant inflammatory eye lesion. Some authors consider this disease as a vasculitis, because it is frequently associated with systemic manifestations. Based on Cogan's diagnostic criteria, Cogan's syndrome may be part of other systemic diseases, as polyarteritis nodosa or Wegener's granulomatosis. EXEGESIS: We report the case of a patient who presented with a Cogan's syndrome and developed further sarcoidosis. CONCLUSION: If Cogan's syndrome is characterized as systemic disease because of its association with aortitis or other vasculitis, on the other hand, clinical presentation may be part of many other systemic diseases.