Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur J Med Res 2019 Feb 14;24(1):12. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Immunology, No. 983 of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Joint Support Force, No. 60 of Huangwei Street, Hebei District, Tianjin, 300142, China.

Objective: This study aims to detect serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MPC-1) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) patients complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD), to reveal the significance of the changes in these levels in the pathogenesis of PM/DM complicated with ILD.

Methods: Serum MCP-1 and TGF-β1 levels in PM/DM patients complicated with ILD, patients with pulmonary infections and normal controls (n = 30, each) were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the correlation between PM/DM complicated with ILD and serum MCP-1 and TGF-β1 levels was analyzed.

Results: Serum MCP-1 and TGF-β1 levels were both higher in PM/DM patients complicated with ILD compared with patients with pulmonary infections and normal controls. Read More

Ann Rheum Dis 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

The National Institute for Health Research Manchester Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester University Hospitals NHS FoundationTrust, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.

Objectives: With the tools available currently, confirming the diagnosis of inclusion body myositis (IBM) can be difficult. Many patients are initially misdiagnosed with polymyositis (PM). In this observational study at a UK adult neuromuscular centre, we investigated whether amyloid positron emission tomography could differentiate between IBM and PM. Read More

Ann Rheum Dis 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Department Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

J Clin Rheumatol 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

From the Department of Clinical Immunology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.

Objectives: Idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) commonly affects women in the childbearing age group. Both disease activity and immunosuppressants used may have adverse effects on fertility and outcomes of pregnancy. We explored these outcomes in a retrospective cohort of women with IIM. Read More

Joint Bone Spine 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Service de rhumatologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 67098 Strasbourg, France; Centre de Référence des Maladies Autoimmunes Rares de l'Est & Sud Ouest, 33000 Bordeaux, France; Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, 67081 Strasbourg, France.

Skeletal muscle inflammation is the feature shared by all forms of myositis. However, the muscle damage ranges in severity from asymptomatic to responsible for severe weakness. In addition, myositis usually occurs as a systemic disease that affects multiple organs. Read More

Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm 2019 Mar 24;6(2):e535. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

Department of Neurology (N.U., K.T., C.I., A.U., A.K., T.T., J.S.), Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo; Division of Neurology (M.K., K.K.), Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Saitama; Division of Neurology (Y. Shiio), Tokyo Teishin Hospital; Department of Neurology (Y. Sakurai), Mitsui Memorial Hospital; Department of Neurology (Y.H.), Teikyo University School of Medicine; and Department of Neurology (K.Y., S.N.-E.), Fukushima Medical University, Japan.

Objective: To provide evidence that idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IM) with myasthenia gravis (MG) frequently shows thymoma association and polymyositis (PM) pathology and shares clinicopathologic characteristics with IM induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Methods: We analyzed the clinicopathologic features of 10 patients with idiopathic IM and MG identified in 970 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven IM.

Results: Seven patients (70%) had thymoma. Read More

Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 2019 Jan 28. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been a mainstay of treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PCa), but limited studies have been performed to investigate the association between ADT and autoimmune diseases.

Methods: We conducted a population-based nationwide cohort study of 17,168 patients newly diagnosed with PCa between 1996 and 2013 using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. Cox proportional hazards models with 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis were used to investigate the association between ADT use and the risk of autoimmune diseases. Read More

Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) 2019 Jan 23. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Habib Thameur Hospital, Internal Medicine Department, Tunis, Tunisia; University of Tunis el Manar Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunisia.

Purpose: There are authentic observations of combination of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with systemic sclerosis (SS) and with polymyositis defined as overlap syndromes. The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension is unknown in SS-SLE overlap syndrome because of its rarity. The aim of our study was to precise clinical, paraclinical and evolutive features of pulmonary hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis-systemic lupus erythematosus (SS-SLE) overlap syndrome. Read More

Cytokine 2019 Apr 23;116:13-20. Epub 2019 Jan 23.

Institute of Rheumatology and Department of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. Electronic address:

Background: S100A11 (calgizzarin), a member of the S100 family, is associated with oncogenesis, inflammation and myocardial damage. Our aim was to analyse S100A11 in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) and its association with disease activity features and cancer development.

Methods: S100A11 in muscle was determined by immunohistochemistry in polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), myasthenia gravis (MG) and in subjects without autoimmune inflammatory disease (HC). Read More

Adv Rheumatol 2019 Jan 22;59(1). Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Disciplina de Reumatologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, 3° andar, sala 3150 - Cerqueira César, Sao Paulo, CEP: 01246-903, Brazil.

Background: Recommendations of the Myopathy Committee of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology for the management and therapy of systemic autoimmune myopathies (SAM).

Main Body: The review of the literature was done in the search for the Medline (PubMed), Embase and Cochrane databases including studies published until June 2018. The Prisma was used for the systematic review and the articles were evaluated according to the levels of Oxford evidence. Read More

Nucl Med Commun 2019 Jan 18. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

Nuclear Medicine Department, Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital.

Background: To compare the performance of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) PET/computed tomography (CT) and conventional tests for cancer screening in autoimmune inflammatory myopathy (AIM) patients.

Patients And Methods: We carried out a retrospective cohort study of AIM patients from one academic center in Montreal, Canada, classified using myositis-specific antibodies, who underwent F-FDG PET/CT between April 2005 and February 2018 and were followed up on average 3.5±2. Read More

Adv Rheumatol 2018 Oct 22;58(1):34. Epub 2018 Oct 22.

Division of Rheumatology, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, 3 andar, sala 3150 - Cerqueira César, CEP 01246-903, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Currently, there are only few studies (mostly case reports or case series) on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in patients with systemic autoimmune myopathies (SAM). Therefore, the goal of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MMF (monotherapy or coadjuvant drug) in a specific sample of patients with refractory SAM: dermatomyositis, polymyositis, anti-synthetase syndrome or clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis.

Methods: A case series including 20 consecutive adult patients with refractory SAM from 2010 to 2016 was conducted. Read More

Adv Rheumatol 2018 Sep 18;58(1):31. Epub 2018 Sep 18.

Division of Rheumatology, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Background: Interpretation of rituximab efficacy for refractory idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) is hampered by the absence of a uniform definition of refractory myositis and clinical response. Therefore, rigorous criteria of refractoriness, together with a homogenous definition of clinical improvement, were used to evaluate rituximab one-year response.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study including 43 IIM (15 antisynthetase syndrome, 16 dermatomyositis, 12 polymyositis) was conducted. Read More

Adv Rheumatol 2018 May 24;58(1). Epub 2018 May 24.

Division of Rheumatology, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, 455, 3° andar, sala 3150 - Cerqueira César, Sao Paulo, 01246-903, Brazil.

Systemic autoimmune myopathies (SAMs) are a heterogeneous group of rare systemic autoimmune diseases that primarily affect skeletal muscles. Patients with SAMs show progressive skeletal muscle weakness and consequent functional disabilities, low health quality, and sedentary lifestyles. In this context, exercise training emerges as a non-pharmacological therapy to improve muscle strength and function as well as the clinical aspects of these diseases. Read More

Clin Case Rep 2019 Jan 22;7(1):128-130. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Division of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine Phramongkutklao Hospital Bangkok Thailand.

Panniculitis is rarely seen in polymyositis. To the best of our knowledge, we report the first case of panniculitis which precedes the antisynthetase syndrome. Read More

Curr Health Sci J 2018 Jul-Sep;44(3):316-321. Epub 2018 Jul 15.

Department of Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania.

Glucosteroids (GS) are widely used drugs for various inflammatory pathologies (Nephrotic syndrome, Proliferative glomerulonephritis, Extramembrane glomerulonephritis, Nephropathy of the Nodous Poliarterita (PAN), Nephropathy from purple Henoch-Schonlein, lupus nephropathy (LN), Acute adrenal insufficiency Waterhouse-Friederichsen, Chronic adrenal insufficiency Addison, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Polymyositis and dermatomyositis, Chronic granulomatosis, Crohn's disease, Hemorrhagic rectocolitis, Hemolytic anemias, Acute leukemias and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma). Although they are prescribed for their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties, they also have many side effects, hyperglycemia being one of the most common and representative, which is why these drugs need careful monitoring when administered over the long term. This paper presents the case of a 39 year old patient diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with class IV lupus nephropathy (LN) who developed numerous complications due to the pathogenic side effects: diabetes, amenorrhea, recurrent infections, and depression. Read More

J Rheumatol 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

From the Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, and the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu; Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. H. Hozumi, Research Associate, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; T. Fujisawa, Research Associate, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; R. Nakashima, Research Associate, MD, PhD, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University; H. Yasui, Research Associate, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; Y. Suzuki, Research Associate, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; M. Kono, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; M. Karayama, Lecturer, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; K. Furuhashi, Research Associate, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; N. Enomoto, Lecturer, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; N. Inui, Assistant Professor, MD, PhD, Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; Y. Nakamura, Lecturer, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine; T. Mimori, Professor, MD, PhD, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University; T. Suda, Professor, MD, PhD, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine. Address correspondence to Dr. H. Hozumi, Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama Higashiku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan. E-mail: or Accepted for publication October 10, 2018.

Objective: The optimal treatment strategy for anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase antibody-positive polymyositis/dermatomyositis-associated interstitial lung disease (anti-ARS-PM/DM-ILD) is yet to be established. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) in patients with ARS-PM/DM-ILD.

Methods: Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates were retrospectively evaluated in 32 consecutive patients with ARS-PM/DM-ILD. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

Department of Rheumatology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, China.

Objectives: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a member of the TNF super-family, which is involved in the regulation of immune response and pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). In this study, we examined the level and origin of serum-soluble TRAIL (sTRAIL) in patients with PM and DM and analyzed its association with disease activity and clinical features.

Method: 11 PM patients, 33 DM patients, and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Read More

Acta Reumatol Port 2018 Oct-Dec;43(4):304-308

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare chronic disease, characterized by progressive cholestasis that could end in end-stage liver disease. Its diagnosis is based in the presence of a cholestatic pattern and antimitochondrial antibodies. Neurological complications of PBC are unusual, but there are descriptions of association with myopathies and neuropathies, being polymyositis the most frequent. Read More

Arch Rheumatol 2018 Sep 15;33(3):376-380. Epub 2018 Jan 15.

Department of General Internal Medicine, Rakuwakai Otowa Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.

Interstitial lung disease in polymyositis and dermatomyositis is a serious complication, associated with poor prognosis. In this article, we describe two cases with histological findings of organizing pneumonia, based on transbronchial lung biopsy. One is a 66-year-old female patient with clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody, and another is a 61-year-old female patient with polymyositis with anti-Jo-1 antibody. Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2018 Dec 20. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Division of Rheumatology, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Objectives: To assess serum interleukin (IL)-17A levels in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) and correlate them with the demographic, clinical, laboratory and therapeutic data of these diseases.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional, single-centre study that included defined DM and PM patients who were age-, gender- and ethnicity-matched to healthy individuals. Serum IL-17A analysis, as well as analysis for other cytokines (IL-6, TNFα and IFNγ), was performed by multiplex immunoassay. Read More

J Neurol Sci 2019 Feb 31;397:123-128. Epub 2018 Dec 31.

Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, PR China. Electronic address:

Aim: The prevalence and diagnostic values of myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs) and myositis-associated autoantibodies (MAAs) in dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM) were studied.

Method: A commercial immunoblot assay with 16 autoantigens was used to detect MSAs and MAAs in serum samples from 130 DM/PM patients, 100 disease controls, and 50 healthy subjects.

Results: The prevalence of anti-Jo-1, anti-MDA5, anti-TIF1γ, anti-Mi-2α, and anti-Mi-2β was significantly higher in DM/PM than in other connective-tissue diseases (CTDs). Read More

Curr Treatm Opt Rheumatol 2018 23;4(4):289-298. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

Department of NVS, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna and Function Area Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.

Purpose Of The Review: A growing body of evidence supports exercise as a very important part of the treatment for adult patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). This review mainly focuses on exercise studies published during the last 2 years in adult myositis.

Recent Findings: During the last couple of years, new publications present further evidence for intensive endurance exercise as an anti-inflammatory treatment inducing muscle growth and improving mitochondrial function compared a non-exercising control group. Read More

QJM 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology and Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi Japan.

Pediatr Rheumatol Online J 2018 Dec 29;16(1):84. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, St. Louis, MO, USA.

Background: Few risk factors have been identified for the development of calcinosis among patients with Juvenile Dermatomyositis, and currently no clinical phenotype has been associated with its development. We analyzed a large database of patients to further elucidate any relationships among patients with and without calcinosis.

Method: The CARRA legacy registry recruited pediatric rheumatology patients from 55 centers across North America from 2010 through 2014, including over 650 subjects with Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Read More

Cardiol Rev 2018 Dec 21. Epub 2018 Dec 21.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a group of autoimmune diseases that are characterized by muscle inflammation resulting in elevated muscle enzyme release and distinctive biopsy findings. This group of conditions includes polymyositis, dermatomyositis, inclusion body myositis and necrotizing autoimmune myopathy. Although they have many similarities, the inflammatory myopathies differ in their clinical, pathological and treatment realms. Read More

Neuromuscul Disord 2019 Jan 22;29(1):5-13. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Research Institute of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Neurology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China; Mitochondrial Medicine Laboratory, Qilu Hospital (Qingdao), Shandong University, Qingdao, China; Brain Science Research Institute, Shandong University, Jinan, China. Electronic address:

Anti-mitochondrial antibodies, the hallmark of primary biliary cirrhosis, have been detected in many patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and these anti-mitochondrial-antibody-associated idiopathic inflammatory myopathies frequently show unique characteristics. We detected anti-mitochondrial antibodies in Chinese idiopathic inflammatory myopathy and summarized the clinical findings of these anti-mitochondrial-antibody-positive patients. Of 136 patients, seven (5. Read More

Neuromuscul Disord 2019 Jan 24;29(1):70-74. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Department of Neuropathology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1 / Virchowweg 15 (int.) Berlin, Germany. Electronic address:

Immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-related disease is an uncommon systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by infiltration of IgG4 plasma cells in different organs and elevated levels of IgG4 in peripheral blood. So far, only one case of myositis with abundant IgG4 plasma cells has been reported and classified as 'polymyositis'. We present an unusual case of chronic inflammatory myopathy in a context of rheumatoid arthritis. Read More

Reumatismo 2018 12 20;70(4):257-258. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Rheumatology Unit, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena.

A 57-year-old woman with a diagnosis of antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD) underwent a nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) showing a scleroderma pattern. Alterations in capillary morphology have been reported in adults with inflammatory myositis (IM) but only recently have the differences in NVC findings between these two diseases been established. ASSD is currently classified as a subset of IM, for which reason only a few studies in literature evaluate its specific hallmarks, showing nonspecific features of NVC in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis (DM) and antisynthetase antibodies. Read More

Mod Rheumatol 2019 Jan 19;29(1):1-19. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

l Department of Internal Medicine , Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba , Ibaraki , Japan.

Although rheumatologists, neurologists and dermatologists see patients with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM), their management appears to vary depending on the physician's specialty. The aim of the present study was to establish the treatment consensus among specialists of the three fields to standardize the patient care. We formed a research team supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan. Read More

J Biophotonics 2018 Dec 18:e201800354. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

In finger vein authentication technology, near-infrared rays penetrate the finger and are absorbed by the hemoglobin in blood. The veins appear as dark areas. The finger vein pattern images of patients with various diseases were acquired; a new evaluation method applying image processing technique ("E value") was developed, and it was examined whether the patterns have any characteristics differentiating them from those of healthy volunteers. Read More

J Dermatol 2019 Jan 18;46(1):e1-e18. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.

Although rheumatologists, neurologists and dermatologists see patients with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM), their management appears to vary depending on the physician's specialty. The aim of the present study was to establish the treatment consensus among specialists of the three fields to standardize the patient care. We formed a research team supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan. Read More

Rheumatol Int 2019 Mar 14;39(3):577-581. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is the most common childhood idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). It is characterized by the classic skin rash in the form of Gottron papules and heliotrope rash, and symmetric proximal muscle weakness. Renal involvement in JDM is rare which includes acute kidney injury and glomerulonephritis. Read More

Int J Rheum Dis 2018 Dec 11. Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Objectives: To identify factors associated with deterioration of pulmonary function with disproportional decline in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) relative to forced vital capacity (FVC) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with DM and PM, in whom serial pulmonary function tests were available. Changes in FVC and DLCO over time were estimated using a linear mixed-effects model. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Dec;97(49):e13563

Department of Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

Rationale: An association between inflammatory myopathy and malignancy has been recognized particularly in patients positive for anti-transcription intermediary factor 1γ (TIF1γ) antibody. We report a case of anti-TIF1γ antibody positive dermatomyositis (DM) associated with thymic carcinoma which radiographically mimicked benign tumor.

Patient Concerns: A 72-year-old man presented typical characteristic cutaneous manifestations and proximal muscle weakness with elevated levels of myogenic enzymes. Read More

Epigenomics 2019 Jan 7;11(1):23-33. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Department of Rheumatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, Hunan 410008, PR China.

Aim: Dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) are refractory systemic autoimmune diseases with unknown pathogenesis. miRNAs is an important epigenetic mechanism to regulate gene expression.

Methods: We performed whole miRNAs analysis, transcription analysis and the association between miRNAome and mRNAome. Read More

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2018 13;2018:5601846. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, 149 Sangil-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul 134-727, Republic of Korea.

Wilting disorder is an abnormal condition characterized by weakness and paralysis of the upper and lower extremities. Pathogenesis and treatment target of the disorder are unclear; hence, allopathic treatment is generally used to relieve the symptoms. To investigate the treatment mechanism and effect of Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) in patients with wilting disorder, we reviewed in vivo studies that focused on the effect of TKM on the main symptoms of wilting disorder and treatment of the diseases that can cause these symptoms. Read More

Ann Indian Acad Neurol 2018 Oct-Dec;21(4):331-334

Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.

J Allergy Clin Immunol 2018 Dec 7. Epub 2018 Dec 7.

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale and Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe-Immunopathologie et Immunointervention Thérapeutique, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France. Electronic address:

Background: Therapeutic normal IgG or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) exerts anti-inflammatory effects through several mutually nonexclusive mechanisms. Recent data in mouse models of autoimmune disease suggest that IVIG induces IL-4 in basophils by enhancing IL-33 in SIGN-related 1-positive innate cells. However, translational insight on these data is lacking. Read More

Rheumatol Int 2019 Feb 5;39(2):311-316. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Rheumatology, Faculdade de Medicina FMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Recent studies have shown a high prevalence of dyslipidemia in patients with systemic autoimmune myopathies (SAM). However, little is known about the safety of the use of statins in these patients, and this gap in research motivated the accomplishment of the present study. In a retrospective cohort study conducted from 2004 to 2018, 250 patients with SAM were evaluated, and 24 patients had stable forms of SAM (16 dermatomyositis, 1 polymyositis and 7 antisynthetase syndrome) but had dyslipidemia and had received statins. Read More

Mod Rheumatol 2018 Nov 28:1-20. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

a Institute of Rheumatology, Tokyo Women's Medical University , Tokyo , Japan.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the usefulness of serum KL-6 for interstitial lung disease (ILD) with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM).

Methods: All consecutive and previously untreated adult patients with PM/DM who were admitted to our hospital from 2010 to 2015 were included. The associations between serum KL-6 levels and clinical information were retrospectively analyzed. Read More

Case Rep Gastroenterol 2018 Sep-Dec;12(3):640-645. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Department of Gastroenterology, San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a rare connective tissue disorder with clinical features that overlap with systemic lupus erythematous, systemic sclerosis, and polymyositis. We report the case of a patient who presented with dysphagia, 25-lb weight loss, difficulty opening her mouth, and joint pain. Dysphagia workup showed a normal barium swallow and normal-appearing EGD but esophageal manometry consistent with severe dysmotility. Read More

Clin Chem Lab Med 2018 Nov 24. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Int Med Case Rep J 2018 2;11:307-312. Epub 2018 Nov 2.

Department of Cardiology,

Background: Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD; also known as Sharp's syndrome) is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disorder characterized by high titer of U1 ribonucleoprotein (U1RNP) antibody and clinical and serological overlap of systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and polymyositis. The diagnosis is based on clinical and serological factors in criteria such as Alarcon-Segovia, Khan, Kusakawa, and Sharps. Cardiac disease can be a complication of connective tissue disease (CTD). Read More

Pediatr Rheumatol Online J 2018 Nov 20;16(1):72. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, 100020, China.

Objective: To follow up the refractory juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in a long time and to investigate whether AHSCT is effective and safe to treat refractory JDM.

Methods: We collected the AHSCT and follow-up data of three patients with refractory JDM who received autologous peripheral blood CD34+ cell transplantation in our hospital between June 2004 and July 2015. Those data include: hight, weight, routine blood and urine tests, ESR, CK, ALT, AST, LDH, renal functional tests, lymphocyte subpopulations, HRCT and muscle MRI. Read More

Acta Clin Belg 2018 Nov 19:1-5. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

b Faculty of Medicine, Department of Rheumatology , Hacettepe University , Ankara , Turkey.

Muscle weakness is a nonspecific finding of myopathy of any etiology that include iatrogenic, toxic, endocrinological, infectious, immunologic, and metabolic disorders. Among the metabolic myopathies glutaric aciduria type II (GAII) is an autosomal recessively inherited rare disorder of fatty acid and amino acid metabolisms. The late onset form is heterogeneous in terms of symptomatology and severity and for the cases that chronic manifestations of lipid storage myopathy are the only clues for the disease, differential diagnosis can be challenging. Read More

Scand J Immunol 2019 Jan 9;89(1):e12732. Epub 2018 Dec 9.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

We aimed to evaluate in vivo effects of abatacept on phenotypes of T and B cells in the circulation of myositis patients in a sub-study of the ARTEMIS trial. Twelve patients with paired frozen PBMCs before and after 6-month abatacept treatment were included in this sub-study where mass cytometry (CyTOF) was chosen as a technology to be tested for its utility in a real-life clinical immune monitoring setting. Using CyTOF, the peripheral T cell phenotypes demonstrated considerable variation over time and between individuals precluding the identification of treatment-specific changes. Read More

Ocul Immunol Inflamm 2018 Nov 16:1-9. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

b Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine , University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary.

Purpose: To evaluate corneal parameters in patients with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) and compare them with those of healthy controls.

Methods: A total of 43 PM and 32 DM patients and 93 controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional, observational, case-control study. Corneal parameters were evaluated by Pentacam. Read More

Pediatr Rheumatol Online J 2018 Nov 13;16(1):70. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Division of Rheumatology, Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Social Sciences, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago/Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 225 E Chicago Ave Box 50, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.

Background: Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare autoimmune disease that causes significant morbidity and quality of life impairment. Little is known about the inpatient burden of JDM in the US. Our goal was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for hospitalization with juvenile dermatomyositis and assess inpatient burden of JDM. Read More