RESUMO
Neurological involvement is considered to be a serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Neuroimaging plays an important role in detecting neurological abnormalities in SLE patients. Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) is generally the most valid neuroimaging technique for detecting alterations in the central and peripheral nervous systems. However it may occasionally fail in neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE). This is especially the case when the image is not very clear and may depend on the wide variety of neurological and psychiatric manifestations that define this disease. During the last twenty years, this has led to the testing of other radiological instruments, such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), which is complementary to cMRI and seems to furnish additional information, and colour Doppler sonography, which provides minimal additional benefits. Our paper aims to provide a general overview of NPSLE, focusing particularly on the strengths and weaknesses of modern neuroimaging.
Assuntos
Vasculite Associada ao Lúpus do Sistema Nervoso Central/diagnóstico , Animais , Cor , Humanos , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Tomografia Computadorizada de Emissão de Fóton Único/métodos , Ultrassonografia Doppler TranscranianaRESUMO
Leptin is one of the most important hormones secreted by adipocytes, with a variety of physiological roles related to the control of metabolism and energy homeostasis. Since its discovery in 1994, leptin has attracted increasing interest in the scientific community for its pleiotropic actions. One of these functions is the relationship between nutritional status and immune competence. It structurally resembles proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6 and IL-12. The cytokine-like structural characteristic of leptin is implicative of its function in regulating immune responses. The role of leptin in regulating immune responses has been assessed in vitro as well as in clinical studies. It has been shown that disease conditions of reduced leptin production are associated with increased infection susceptibility. Conversely, immune-mediated disorders, such as autoimmune diseases, are associated with the increased secretion of leptin and the production of proinflammatory pathogenic cytokines. In this paper, we review the most recent advances of the role of leptin in immune-rheumatological diseases, and we discuss whether strategies aimed at modifying leptin levels could represent innovative and therapeutic tools for autoimmune disorders.