Immune therapy of lupus: what is on the horizon?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex disease whichhas posed a continuing challenge to scientists and cliniciansof diverse areas of specialization. It serves as a model forthe study of the mechanisms of autoimmunity—providingan important basis for the development of novel targeted therapiesin lupus and related conditions. The pathophysiology of SLE stems from the abnormal clearanceof apoptotic cells and/or endothelial activation. Material fromdying cells such as apoptotic blebs that are not efficientlyremoved may act as antigenic stimuli and lead to the developmentof autoantibodies with consequent formation of immune complexesand an inflammatory response in a variety of organ systems [1].This     

Adaptation to audiotactile asynchrony

Previous research has revealed the existence of perceptual mechanisms that compensate for slight temporal asynchronies between auditory and visual signals. We investigated whether temporal recalibration would also occur between auditory and tactile stimuli. Participants were exposed to streams of brief auditory and tactile stimuli presented in synchrony, or else with the auditory stimulus leading by 75 ms. After the exposure phase, the participants made temporal order judgments regarding pairs of auditory and tactile events occurring at varying stimulus onset asynchronies. The results showed that the minimal interval necessary to correctly resolve audiotactile temporal order was larger after exposure to the desynchronized streams than after exposure to the synchronous streams. This suggests the existence of a mechanism to compensate for audiotactile asynchronies that results in a widening of the temporal window for multisensory integration.     

Lupus education for physicians and patients in a resource-limited setting

Clinical Rheumatology - Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a wide range of manifestations and potential to affect several organ systems. Complications arise...     

Evaluation of intraventricular teicoplanin for the treatment of neurosurgical shunt infections.

Seven patients with staphylococcal neurosurgical shunt infections were treated with intraventricular teicoplanin. Two infants received 5 mg/d, three patients received 20 mg/d, and two patients received 20 mg every other day. Six of these patients also received intravenous antibiotics. Three patients had infections caused by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus epidermidis, and one patient had an infection caused by methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis. Three patients were infected with Staphylococcus aureus (one with a methicillin-resistant strain and two with methicillin-susceptible strains). The mean duration of intraventricular therapy was 16 days. Sterilization of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained after an average of 4.4 days. All patients were cured both clinically and microbiologically. No significant adverse effects were observed in any patients. Penetration of teicoplanin into the CSF after intravenous administration was poor. However, after intraventricular administration, high and prolonged peak and trough levels of teicoplanin were detected in the CSF. Bactericidal activity of the CSF was remarkable, exceeding the 1:8 dilution in the majority of the cases. The alternate-day schedule of intraventricular administration of teicoplanin was as effective as the once-daily regimen.     

Clinical manifestations and clinical syndromes of Filipino patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

The aim of this study was to describe the presenting clinical manifestations and syndromes of Filipino patients on diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We performed a retrospective review of medical records of Filipino SLE patients included in the lupus database of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila, Philippines. All patients fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE. The following data were recorded: (1) demographic profile, (2) clinical manifestations on SLE diagnosis, and (3) clinical syndromes prior to and during fulfillment of diagnostic criteria for SLE and disease interval from diagnosis of a clinical syndrome to SLE diagnosis. Clinical data of 1,070 patients entered into the UST lupus database as of October 2005 were analyzed. The average age at SLE diagnosis was 28.5 ± 11.5 (range 5–71) years, with 1,025 female and 45 male subjects. The most common presenting manifestation was arthritis (68%), followed by malar rash (49%), renal involvement (47%), photosensitivity (33%), and oral ulcers (33%). The following clinical syndromes were recorded prior to or during SLE diagnosis: nephrotic syndrome (30%), undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) (22%), autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) (6%), and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (6%). Among these, AIHA preceded the diagnosis of SLE at the longest interval (20.3 ± 30.6, range 1–194 months). In this large database of Filipino patients with SLE, the most common presenting manifestation was arthritis, with renal involvement occurring in almost 50%. Among the clinical syndromes, nephrotic syndrome was the most common, whereas AIHA recorded the longest interval preceding SLE diagnosis, at an average of 20.3 months. Our findings are similar to data from other countries and emphasize the broad range of manifestations of SLE. The findings also reinforce the need to establish and maintain SLE databases to enhance awareness, early diagnosis, and more efficient management of the disease.     

Corrected transposition of the great vessels associated with severe pulmonary stenosis in a 59-year-old man

The case of a 59-year-old man with corrected transposition of the great arteries (CTGA) is reported. This anomaly is rare in adult patients, uncommon in patients over 50. Most of the cases with CTGA are diagnosed in childhood because of associated cardiac abnormalities. When isolated or complicated by other mild anomalies, CTGA can cause no symptoms until adult life or can even go unrecognized. However, most of these patients present with congestive heart failure when they are 40 or 50 years old. Our patient was admitted to the hospital because of heart failure. Cardiac catheterization and selective angiography demonstrated a CTGA associated with severe pulmonary valve stenosis. The case here reported shows that CTGA even when associated with other cardiac abnormalities, can be a relatively benign lesion, and can be revealed in adult life by signs of cardiac failure.