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Clin Immunol 2019 Feb 14. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, USA.

Giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis are autoimmune vasculitides that cause aneurysm formation and tissue infarction. Extravascular inflammation consists of an intense acute phase response. Deeper understanding of pathogenic events in the vessel wall has highlighted the loss of tissue protective mechanisms, the intrusion of immune cells into "forbidden territory", and the autonomy of self-renewing vasculitic infiltrates. Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2019 Feb 15. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Southend University Hospital NHS Trust, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, UK.

Objectives: We propose a GCA probability score intended to help to risk-stratify patients referred by general practitioners with suspected GCA into those with high probability of GCA versus low probability of GCA. In this pilot study we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of this proposed scoring system.

Methods: A scoring system was proposed based on clinical experience. Read More

Semin Ophthalmol 2019 Feb 14:1-5. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

a Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology , Gartnavel General Hospital , Glasgow , UK.

Introduction: Temporal headache often results in an Ophthalmology referral to rule out giant cell arteritis (GCA). When clinical suspicion of GCA is low, alternative diagnoses should be considered. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) commonly causes a temporal headache. Read More

Front Immunol 2019 29;10:83. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Department Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) can be classified into Cranial(C)-GCA and Large Vessel(LV)-GCA. Based on analysis of temporal arteries, GCA is postulated to be T-cell-mediated. Recently, a disturbed B-cell homeostasis was documented in newly diagnosed GCA patients. Read More

Scand J Rheumatol 2019 Feb 13:1-2. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

a Department of Internal Medicine , Tomakomai City Hospital , Tomakomai , Japan.

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2019 3;6(1):000997. Epub 2019 Jan 3.

Unidade Funcional de Medicina 2.1, Hospital de Santo António dos Capuchos, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisbon, Portugal.

Immunosuppressed patients are at greater risk of unusual infections. The authors present the case of a woman with giant-cell arteritis, on oral steroids, who developed cavitating pneumonia due to co-infection with and . Reports of such co-infection are rare in the literature. Read More

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018 25;5(5):000779. Epub 2018 May 25.

Department of Internal Medicine, Ikazia Ziekenhuis, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

We describe a 58-year-old woman presenting with headache and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), who was diagnosed with and successfully treated for giant-cell arteritis (GCA). Seven months after the end of treatment, ovarian GCA was incidentally found after ovariectomy for a simple cyst. GCA of extracranial vessels like the ovarian arteries is rare. Read More

Pulmonology 2019 Feb 9. Epub 2019 Feb 9.

Internal Medicine Service, Centro Hospitalar Tondela-Viseu, E.P.E., Portugal. Electronic address:

Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) is a common systemic vasculitis that involves medium and large arteries, most frequently extracranial branches of the carotid artery. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent devastating complications, such as blindness, stroke and aortic aneurysm or dissection. Typical symptoms include headache, temporal artery tenderness and jaw claudication. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2019 Feb 9. Epub 2019 Feb 9.

Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

Objectives: The frequency of different vasculitides and their characteristics vary among different regions. The identification of geographic disparities of disease phenotypes helps the development of international criteria, allowing the classification of patients of different ethnicities. This study aimed to describe the frequency, characteristics, course, response to treatment, and outcome of the different adulthood vasculitides in Egypt. Read More

J Autoimmun 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Service de Médecine Interne-DHU i2B, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, APHP, 75012, Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMRS 938, CdR Saint-Antoine, France. Electronic address:

Acute cerebrovascular ischemic events are a rare and severe complication of giant cell arteritis (GCA). We aimed to determine the prevalence of GCA-related stroke, the overall survival and the relapse-free survival in patients with GCA. A multicentric retrospective analysis was performed on 129 patients with GCA diagnosed between September 2010 and October 2018 in two University Hospitals. Read More

Front Immunol 2018 24;9:3129. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Chugai Pharma Europe Ltd., Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

This paper aims to raise awareness of the different disease courses, comorbidities, and therapy situations in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), which require a differentiated approach and often a deviation from current treatment guidelines. With the approval of tocilizumab (TOC), which specifically binds to both soluble and membrane-bound IL-6 receptor and inhibits IL-6 receptor-mediated signaling, the spectrum of available effective treatment options has been significantly broadened. TOC yields an extensive range of possible applications that go beyond a glucocorticoid-saving effect. Read More

Med Clin (Barc) 2019 Feb 4. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

Servicio de Enfermedades Autoinmunes, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.

Imaging has become an essential tool in the management of patients with giant cell arteritis. Cranial involvement detected by Doppler ultrasonography is an unquestionable diagnostic finding. Imaging of the aorta and its branches with positron emission tomography, computed tomography angiography or magnetic resonance imaging may also have a role in diagnosis and in the assessment of disease activity and response to treatment, but standardisation and validation are still needed before their widespread use as an outcome measure. Read More

Arthritis Rheumatol 2019 Feb 7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Division of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Center for Vasculitis Care and Research, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Objective: Non-infectious aortitis may occur in the context of a recognized systemic disease or as a topographically-limited lesion without systemic features, termed clinically-isolated aortitis (CIA). From a large population of patients in a single center dedicated to aortic diseases, we have sought to better define and stress the limitations of this diagnostic category, and suggest recommendations for care.

Methods: Records of patients undergoing thoracic aortic surgery (1996-2012) at the Cleveland Clinic were reviewed to identify 196 with histopathology-proven aortitis. Read More

Rev Med Chil 2018 Nov;146(11):1356-1360

Departamento de Ciencias Neurológicas Oriente, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Giant cell arteritis is the most common vasculitis in patients aged over 50 years. We report an 89-year-old woman with significant weight loss and persistent frontal-occipital headaches lasting two months. The neurological examination at admission identified a decrease in visual acuity of the left eye, paralysis of the third cranial nerve of the right eye and alterations of body motility without objective signs of damage of the motor or sensitive pathways. Read More

Neuroophthalmology 2019 Feb 19;43(1):18-25. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Harvard University Ophthalmology, Beth Israel Deaconness, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Purpose: To determine the positive yield (utility rate) of temporal artery biopsy (TAB) in patients with suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Study Design: Systematic review (CRD42017078508) and meta-regression.

Materials And Methods: All articles concerning TAB for suspected GCA with English language abstracts from 1998 to 2017 were retrieved. Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2019 02 2. Epub 2019 Feb 2.

Division of Cardiology, Cardio-Oncology Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.

Cardiovascular toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been reported in case series but have been underappreciated due to difficulties in diagnosis and non-specific clinical manifestations. ICIs are antibodies that block negative regulators of the T cell immune response, including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein-4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), and PD-1 ligand (PD-L1). While ICIs have introduced a significant mortality benefit in several cancer types, the augmented immune response has led to a range of immune-related toxicities, including cardiovascular toxicity. Read More

Rheumatol Ther 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA.

Introduction: The safety profile of tocilizumab (TCZ) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well established. TCZ was approved to treat giant cell arteritis (GCA) in 2017 in the USA and Europe, and its safety profile in patients with GCA continues to be defined. The objective of this analysis was to examine incidence rates (IRs) of adverse events of special interest (AESI) occurring during the TCZ clinical development program and in healthcare claims data in patients with GCA or RA. Read More

Ter Arkh 2018 Feb;90(1):76-85

Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.

Systemic vasculitis is a heterogeneous group of inflammatory diseases, which are classified according to the diameter of the affected vessels. The treatment of systemic vasculitis is no longer empirical, because of increasing number of randomized clinical trials in this field. In recent years, there was a trend to limit the cumulative dose of glucocorticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs, partially through biological drugs usage. Read More

Int J Rheum Dis 2019 Jan;22 Suppl 1:49-52

Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.

Takayasu arteritis (TA), despite being classified as a large vessel vasculitis, has distinct genetic, pathological and clinical features as compared to giant cell arteritis. It is a rare disease seen more commonly in Asian countries. The challenge lies in assessing the degree of inflammation in a narrowed vessel and immunosuppressive therapy improves inflammatory features but is unable to open up an occluded vessel. Read More

Eye Brain 2019 17;11:1-12. Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA,

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammatory vasculitis typically affecting elderly that can potentially cause vision loss. Studies have demonstrated that early recognition and initiation of treatment can improve visual prognosis in patients with GCA. This review addresses the benefits of early diagnosis and treatment, and discusses the available treatment options to manage the disease. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Jan 28;12(1). Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Box Hill Hospital, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia.

A previously high-functioning woman presents with clinical and CT features of a subacute ischaemic stroke. Her medical history is relevant for refractory giant cell arteritis on long-term high-dose prednisolone and recent commencement of tocilizumab (interleukin-6 monoclonal antibody). The potential for stroke mimic is considered and a magnetic resonance brain scan is requested. Read More

Lancet 2019 01;393(10169):349

Cork University Hospital, Department of Medicine, University College Cork (Prof D O'Mahony), Cork, Ireland. Electronic address:

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

Tuberk Toraks 2018 Dec;66(4):353-358

Division of Intensive Care, Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Faculty of Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey.

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a set of diseases that can affect multiple organs, produce an immune-mediated fibroinflammatory response, and lead to tissue destruction and organ failure. Hemophagocytic syndrome is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory fatal disease caused by defect and excessive macrophage activity in natural killer cells. The disease can often be confused with other immune-mediated diseases such as cancer, infection, interstitial lung disease, sjogren's syndrome, wegener's vasculitis, or temporal arteritis. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 Jan 24;9(1):688. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Department of Immunology and Rheumatology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.

Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are two major variants of large vessel vasculitis, and age is a major factor in their differential diagnosis. We sought to determine whether the two diseases exist on the same spectrum. We compared the serum levels of multiple cytokines and chemokines in 25 patients with TAK, 20 patients with GCA, and sex- and age-matched healthy donors for either condition (HD-TAK and HD-GCA). Read More

Dermatol Online J 2018 Aug 15;24(8). Epub 2018 Aug 15.

Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

An 86-year- old woman with a history of recurrent bronchitis and giant cell arteritis presented for new onset, cyclic and migratory erythematous nodules associated with fatigue and weight loss. Although a systemic vasculitis was initially suspected, elevated inflammatory markers and symptoms persisted despite aggressive corticosteroid therapy. Excisional biopsy of one nodule showed dense suppurative and granulomatous inflammation that was rife with acid-fast bacilli. Read More

Ann Rheum Dis 2019 Jan 22. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

J Clin Rheumatol 2019 Jan 18. Epub 2019 Jan 18.

From the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Mod Rheumatol 2019 Jan 21:1-10. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

a Department of Molecular Pathology , Tokyo Medical University , Tokyo , Japan.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare Takayasu arteritis (TAK) with giant cell arteritis (GCA) through immunohistochemistry principally of inflammatory cells; these two disorders may be on the spectrum within a single disease state.

Methods: Nine TAK and 5 GCA surgically resected vessel specimens were selected. TAK specimen was divided into each three acute-, chronic-, and healed-phase samples based on intimal and adventitial thickening. Read More

Int J Endocrinol 2018 18;2018:1464967. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Secondary Hypertension Unit, Department of Transactional Medicine and Precision, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.

Introduction: Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a clinical condition characterized by excessive cortisol production, associated with metabolic complications, such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Nowadays, the occurrence of autoimmune diseases in CS have not been completely evaluated in the previous studies.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of autoimmune diseases in CS patients after successfully treated. Read More

Am J Med 2019 Jan 16. Epub 2019 Jan 16.

Department of Pathology, North Florida Regional Medical Center, Gainesville.

Semin Arthritis Rheum 2019 Jan 5. Epub 2019 Jan 5.

Departments of Rheumatology, Internal Medicine and Pathology, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain. Electronic address:

Objective: Tocilizumab (TCZ) has shown efficacy in clinical trials on giant cell arteritis (GCA). Real-world data are scarce. Our objective was to assess efficacy and safety of TCZ in unselected patients with GCA in clinical practice Methods: Observational, open-label multicenter study from 40 national referral centers of GCA patients treated with TCZ due to inefficacy or adverse events of previous therapy. Read More

Clin Med (Lond) 2019 Jan;19(1):82-84

Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, UK.

A 63-year-old man with an extensive travel history to South East Asia presented with generalised malaise, temporal headaches and high inflammatory markers. He was treated with corticosteroids for presumed giant cell arteritis. Unsuccessful attempts to wean him from prednisolone prompted further investigations by rheumatology, haematology and finally ophthalmology. Read More

J Rheumatol 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

From the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, and the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Department of Health Sciences Research, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; Division of Rheumatology, Azienda Ospedaliera, Unità Sanitaria Locale-Institute for Research and Health Care (USL-IRCCS) di Reggio Emilia e Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy; Universidad Del Desarrollo, Clinica Alemana, Santiago, Chile. M.J. Koster, MD, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology; K. Yeruva, MD, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology; C.S. Crowson, PhD, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, and the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Department of Health Sciences Research; F. Muratore, MD, Division of Rheumatology, Azienda Osedaliera, USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia e Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia; C. Labarca, MD, Universidad Del Desarrollo, Clinica Alemana; K.J. Warrington, MD, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology. Address correspondence to Dr. M.J. Koster, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St. SW, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. E-mail: Accepted for publication October 10, 2018.

Objective: To determine the effect of methotrexate (MTX) on relapse risk and glucocorticoid (GC) use in a large single-institution cohort of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Methods: Patients diagnosed with GCA from 1998 to 2013 with confirmed evidence of temporal artery biopsy and/or radiographic evidence of large vessel vasculitis were identified. Each patient with GCA treated with adjunct MTX (case) was matched to a similar patient with GCA treated only with GC (control). Read More

J Rheumatol 2019 Jan 15. Epub 2019 Jan 15.

From the Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Haugesund, and Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, and Bergen Group of Epidemiology and Biomarkers in Rheumatic Disease (BEaBIRD), Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, and BEaBIRD, Department of Rheumatology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen; Department of Rheumatology, Hospital of Southern Norway, Kristiansand, Norway. This study was supported by grants from the Norwegian Association of Heart and Lung Patients, the Norwegian Rheumatism Association, the Marit Hansens Memorial Fund, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), and Odd Fellow Medical Research Fund. Address correspondence to Dr. L.K. Brekke, HSR AS, PB 2175, 5504 Haugesund, Norway. E-mail:

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common systemic vasculitis in adults. The pathogenesis and the etiology of the disease are not fully understood, and environmental factors, which may influence the incidence and prevalence, are poorly investigated. Only a few small studies have previously addressed the potential influence of rural or urban residence on the occurrence of GCA. Read More

J Autoimmun 2019 Jan 9. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Unit of Rheumatology, Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy; Department of Surgery, Medicine, Dentistry and Morphological Sciences with Interest in Transplant, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.

Tuftsin-PhosphorylCholine (TPC) is a novel bi-specific molecule which links tuftsin and phosphorylcholine. TPC has shown immunomodulatory activities in experimental mouse models of autoimmune diseases. We studied herein the effects of TPC ex vivo on both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and temporal artery biopsies (TABs) obtained from patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) and age-matched disease controls. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2019 Jan 10;12(1). Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Rheumatology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan.

J Vasc Surg Cases Innov Tech 2019 Mar 7;5(1):31-34. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Department of Vascular Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a well-known cause of cranial vasculitis often presenting with headache and jaw claudication. Here we report the case of a woman suffering GCA who presented with critical lower limb ischemia. Despite best medical therapy, she developed progressive calf claudication and ulceration of the right foot. Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Centre for Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, St Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin Academic Medical Centre, Dublin, Ireland.

Objectives: The diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA) is primarily a clinical one. Temporal artery (TA) ultrasound (US) has been proposed as a new diagnostic tool. We aimed to assess the performance characteristics of TA US in routine clinical practice. Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2019 Jan 7. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Department of Ophthalmology, Roski Eye Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, and Department of Ophthalmology, Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Objectives: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a vasculitis that affects large and medium sized arteries. The aetiology of GCA is unknown and numerous risk factors have been proposed. In this article, we evaluate the incidence of biopsy-positive GCA in Northern California and assess for seasonal variation. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2019 Jan 7. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, CHU de Caen Normandie, Avenue de la Côte de Nacre, 14000, Caen, France.

Introduction: Some studies suggest that there is an increased risk of malignancies in giant cell arteritis (GCA). We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of GCA patients with concomitant malignancy and compare them to a GCA control group.

Method: Patients with a diagnosis of GCA and malignancy and with a maximal delay of 12 months between both diagnoses were retrospectively included in this study and compared to a control group of age-matched (3:1) patients from a multicenter cohort of GCA patients. Read More

J Clin Rheumatol 2018 Dec 28. Epub 2018 Dec 28.

Department of Internal Medicine, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA Department of Neurology, Walter Reed National Military, Medical Center, Bethesda, MD Department of Radiology, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA Department of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA.

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec 27. Epub 2018 Dec 27.

Cardio-Thoracic and Vascular Surgery Department, Pontchaillou Hospital, Rennes, France.

We report a 61-year-old woman with a history of untreated inflammatory symptoms, who underwent a Bentall procedure for a rapidly evolving aneurysm. Postoperatively, she presented with a sub-sternal pulsatile mass communicating with a periaortic collection. After excluding surgical and infectious complications, an inflammatory seroma due to an uncontrolled vasculitis was suspected. Read More

BMC Pharmacol Toxicol 2018 Dec 29;19(1):88. Epub 2018 Dec 29.

Institute of Physiology and Pharmacology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, A. Mickeviciaus str. 9, 44307, Kaunas, LT, Lithuania.

Background: Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic drug which is used to treat and prevent several dysrhythmias. This includes ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, wide complex tachycardia, as well as atrial fibrillation (AF) and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Amiodarone may prove to be the agent of choice where the patient is hemodynamically unstable and unsuitable for direct current (DC) cardioversion. Read More

Cytokine 2018 Dec 26;114:61-66. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India. Electronic address:

Background: Toll-like receptors (TLR) 1 to 4 are highly expressed in aorta. Activation of TLR4 causes transmural arteritis in Human temporal artery-SCID chimera model. Neither TLR-4 nor its ligands have been studied in TA patients as yet. Read More

Reumatol Clin 2018 Dec 23. Epub 2018 Dec 23.

Servicio de Reumatología, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, España.

PLoS One 2018 26;13(12):e0209343. Epub 2018 Dec 26.

Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra", CSIC, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain.

Background: The TNFSF13B (TNF superfamily member 13b) gene encodes BAFF, a cytokine with a crucial role in the differentiation and activation of B cells. An insertion-deletion variant (GCTGT→A) of this gene, leading to increased levels of BAFF, has been recently implicated in the genetic predisposition to several autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Based on the elevated levels of this cytokine found in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc), we aimed to assess whether this functional variant also represents a novel genetic risk factor for these two disorders. Read More

Neurologist 2019 Jan;24(1):26-28

Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Giant cell arteritis is a large vessel vasculitis with neurological manifestations that range from visual disturbances to ischemic stroke. Among the former, visual acuity and visual field defects are prevalent, with anterior ischemic optic neuropathy being their most frequent cause. We present a clinical case in which the presenting ocular feature of the disease was a peripheral monocular visual field defect secondary to optic perineuritis. Read More

J Clin Rheumatol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Division of Rheumatology and Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

Isolated noninfectious ascending aortitis (I-NIAA) is increasingly diagnosed at histopathologic review after resection of an ascending aortic aneurysm. PubMed was searched using the term aortitis; publications addressing the issue were reviewed, and reference lists of selected articles were also reviewed. Eleven major studies investigated the causes of an ascending aortic aneurysm or dissection requiring surgical repair: the prevalence of noninfectious aortitis ranged from 2% to 12%. Read More