The cerebrospinal fluid CD4/CD8 ratio and interleukin-6 and -10 levels in neurosarcoidosis: a multicenter, pragmatic, comparative study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neurosarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disorder of unknown cause. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of T/B lymphocyte population counts and the concentrations of the cytokines interleukin (IL) 6 and IL-10 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of neurosarcoidosis patients. METHODS: A retrospective study CSF biomarkers was conducted in patients with neurosarcoidosis who underwent CSF analysis between 2012 and 2017 as well as various control populations. RESULTS: Forty-three patients with neurosarcoidosis, 14 with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 48 with other inflammatory disorders were analyzed. The CSF IL-6 levels were higher in sarcoidosis patients than in MS patients (median 8 vs. 3 pg/ml, P = 0.006). The CSF CD4/CD8 ratio was higher in sarcoidosis patients than in MS patients and in patients with other inflammatory disorders (median 3.18 vs. 2.36 and 2.10, respectively, P = 0.008). The CSF IL-6 level was higher in patients with active neurosarcoidosis than in non-active neurosarcoidosis patients (median 13 vs. 3 pg/ml, P = 0.0005). In patients with neurosarcoidosis, a CSF IL-6 concentration >50 pg/ml was associated with a higher risk of relapse or progression-free survival (hazard ratio 3.60; 95% confidence interval 1.78-23.14). A refractory neurosarcoidosis patient was treated with an anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody that produced a complete neurological response. CONCLUSIONS: The CSF CD4/CD8 ratio and IL-6 concentration are increased in neurosarcoidosis compared to MS and other inflammatory disorders. A CSF IL-6 concentration >50 pg/ml is associated with relapse or progression of neurosarcoidosis. IL-10 levels may be elevated in neurosarcoidosis.

French National Diagnostic and Care Protocol for antiphospholipid syndrome in adults and children.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a chronic autoimmune disease involving vascular thrombosis and/or obstetric morbidity and persistent antibodies to phospholipids or certain phospholipid-associated proteins. It is a rare condition in adults and even rarer in children. The diagnosis of APS can be facilitated by the use of classification criteria based on a combination of clinical and biological features. APS may be rapidly progressive with multiple, often synchronous thromboses, resulting in life-threatening multiple organ failure. This form is known as "catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome" (CAPS). It may be primary or associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (associated APS) and in very rare cases with other systemic autoimmune diseases. General practitioners and paediatricians may encounter APS in patients with one or more vascular thromboses. Because APS is so rare and difficult to diagnosis (risk of overdiagnosis) any suspected case should be confirmed rapidly and sometimes urgently by an APS specialist. First-line treatment of thrombotic events in APS includes heparin followed by long-term anticoagulation with a VKA, usually warfarin. Except in the specific case of stroke, anticoagulants should be started as early as possible. Any temporary discontinuation of anticoagulants is associated with a high risk of thrombosis in APS. A reference/competence centre specialised in autoimmune diseases must be urgently consulted for the therapeutic management of CAPS.

[Enteroviral infections in adults treated with rituximab: A new case of chronic meningitis and myofasciitis and literature review]. / Infections à entérovirus de l'adulte traité par rituximab : un nouveau cas de méningite et myofasciite chronique et revue de la littérature.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic enterovirus infections can occur in primary immunodeficiency with hypogammaglobulinemia. They usually associate meningitis and myofasciitis. Such infections have also been described in adults with rituximab-induced hypogammaglobulinemia. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 33-year-old woman who was given rituximab for immune thrombocytopenia and developed rituximab-induced hypogammaglobulinemia (IgG 4.4g/L). One year after the last rituximab infusion, she developed lower limbs myofasciitis, followed two months later by a chronic lymphocytic meningitis. PCR in the serum and the cerebrospinal fluid at the time of the meningitis and the myofasciitis were positive to the same enterovirus (echovirus 11) while it was negative in the fascia biopsy. Under treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins, all symptoms and laboratory abnormalities improved and enterovirus PCR became negative. CONCLUSION: We report a case of chronic enterovirus infection associating meningitis and myofasciitis in an adult with rituximab-induced hypogammaglobulinemia. Outcome was favorable under treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins.

[Autoimmune hepatitis triggered by nitrofurantoin: A rare drug-induced toxicity]. / Hépatite auto-immune induite par la nitrofurantoïne : une complication rare à connaître.

INTRODUCTION: Nitrofurantoin is a commonly used drug which can have liver and pulmonary adverse effects. Among hepatic nitrofurantoin-induced adverse effects, autoimmune hepatitis is a rare complication which must not be mistaken as a toxic hepatitis. CASE REPORT: We report an 86-year-old woman who presented with acute hepatitis after a 3-month course of nitrofurantoin administration for urinary tract infections. She reported a previous hepatitis after treatment by nitrofurantoin twenty years before. Biological analysis showed polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, positive test for antinuclear antibodies and smooth muscle antibodies. Finally, liver histology showed lymphocytic infiltration, marked necrotic and inflammatory activity consistent with the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis. Nitrofurantoin was discontinued. Outcome of autoimmune hepatitis was good with corticosteroids and azathioprine but two months later, the patient died from a refractory global heart failure. CONCLUSION: Nitrofurantoin-induced autoimmune hepatitis is a severe condition which must be systematically discussed in patients taking nitrofurantoin who present with acute hepatitis. Hypergammaglobulinemia is an easily obtained blood marker, which can suggest this diagnosis. Treatment relies on nitrofurantoin eviction, corticosteroids and sometimes azathioprine. Outcome is usually favorable.

Using rituximab plus fludarabine and cyclophosphamide as a treatment for refractory mixed cryoglobulinemia associated with lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment of refractory mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) with severe organ involvement remains challenging. Fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab (FCR) treatment is highly effective for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and marginal-zone lymphoma. We first report the safety and efficacy of FCR treatment in severe and refractory MC vasculitis associated with lymphoma. METHODS: We report the safety and efficacy of fludarabine (40 mg/m(2) orally on days 2-4), cyclophosphamide (250 mg/m(2) orally on days 2-4), and rituximab (375 mg/m(2) on day 1), every 4 weeks, for 3 to 6 cycles in 7 consecutive patients with severe and refractory MC. RESULTS: Clinical features of MC included purpura (n = 7), polyneuropathy (n = 6), and kidney (n = 4) and cardiac involvement (n = 2). Previous treatment included rituximab (n = 5), corticosteroids (n = 5), antiviral therapy (n = 5), cyclophosphamide (n = 3), and plasmapheresis (n = 2). All patients achieved clinical response, with 3 patients (42.9%) achieving a complete remission and 4 patients (57.1%) a partial remission. Cryoglobulin decreased from 0.94 to 0.41 gm/liter (P = 0.015). After a followup of 27 months, 2 patients experienced a relapse of MC. Five patients (71.4%) experienced side effects, including cytopenia (n = 5), pneumopathy (n = 2), and serum sickness (n = 1). CONCLUSION: The FCR regimen represents an effective treatment in severe and refractory MC.