Gastrointestinal manifestations of Behçet's disease in Japan: a study of 43 patients.

We analyzed the clinical gastrointestinal (GI) characteristics of Behçet's disease (BD) patients in Japan. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical charts of 412 patients who fulfilled the 1987 Japanese criteria for BD and were treated in two university hospitals from July 1991 to December 2007. Forty-three patients (10.4 %) had BD-related GI lesions, which were shown by imaging examinations. Median age at BD diagnosis and onset of GI episodes were 29.6 and 31.0 years, respectively. The patients suffered from abdominal pain (30/43) and GI bleeding (18/43), while they had lower frequency of eye involvement and higher incidence of arthritis and vascular involvement than BD patients without GI lesions. The lesions were prevalent in the ileum (32/43) followed by cecum (21/43) and esophagus (9/43). The patients were treated with mesalazine and sulfasalazine (41/43), corticosteroids (32/43), immunosuppressants (13/43), and infliximab for 7 patients having refractory lesions, while 10 patients had surgical operation. Two patients died due to non-GI events during the observation. The diagnosis of BD was often difficult because of lack of eye involvement. Surgery is required for some patients in spite of intensive immunosuppressive therapies. Appropriate use of anti-TNF agents may be promising for the GI involvement.

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus in a hepatitis B surface antigen-negative patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate.

Immunosuppressive therapy can induce viral reactivation in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and, more rarely, in patients with resolved HBV infection. We report the case of a 57-year-old Japanese woman with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed de-novo hepatitis B virus-related hepatitis after methotrexate (MTX) therapy. Entecavir and oral prednisolone following steroid pulse therapy were administered and her liver function recovered. MTX is widely used for RA for its efficiency and safety. But some cases of HBV reactivation caused by MTX, including de-novo hepatitis, have been reported. Considering these conditions, more attention should be paid when using MTX in patients with RA. And more studies are needed to determine who needs screening of HBV, monitoring of HBV-DNA, and prophylaxis with chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy.

Characteristics of vascular involvement in Behçet's disease in Japan: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We analysed the clinical vascular characteristics of Behçet's disease (BD) patients in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical charts of 412 patients who fulfilled the 1987 Japanese criteria for BD and were treated in two University hospitals from July 1991 to December 2007. Patients with superficial thrombophlebitis were excluded, since it is categorised as a skin manifestation according to the Japanese criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients (6%) had large-vessel involvement. Mean ages at BD diagnosis and onset of vascular episodes were 39.7 and 41.6 years, respectively. Males predominated (62%). Arterial and venous lesions were found in 8 (31%) and 21 patients (81%), respectively, including 3 (12%) with both types. Pulmonary artery occlusion was the most common arterial lesion (n=5, 19%), followed by ascending aortic aneurysm (n=2, 8%). Limb deep vein thrombosis was the leading venous lesion (n=20, 77%). Cardiac complications (angina pectoris/aortic regurgitation) occurred in two patients. Gastrointestinal involvement was more frequent than in patients without vascular involvement (p<0.001); ocular involvement was less frequent (p<0.05). Only 3 patients (12%) required surgery. Patients received prednisone and immunosuppressants, including infliximab, for vascular and/or concurrent gastrointestinal involvement. Nine patients received warfarin, without bleeding complications. One patient died during the observation period, 4 days after surgery for an aortic aneurysm. CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of vascular involvement in BD in Japan is lower than in other ethnic populations. Although one patient died during the observation, there was no fatal haemoptysis, even in patients receiving warfarin.

Successful switching to adalimumab in an infliximab-allergic patient with severe Behçet disease-related uveitis.

Infliximab has demonstrated remarkable effects on controlling uveitis in patients with Behçet's disease (BD). However, there is no way except for discontinuation of infliximab treatment in patients who are intolerant to the agent due to hypersensitivity reactions. We here report successful switching from infliximab to adalimumab in a BD patient. Treatment with infliximab had maintained clinical remission in the patient having refractory ocular lesions to cyclosporine until the patient had experienced repeated infliximab-related infusion reactions. Discontinuation of the therapy led to another ocular attacks immediately. Switching to adalimumab induced clinical remission again. Our experience suggest adalimumab is a safe and effective option for patients having hypersensitivity to infliximab.

Use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in Japan: a survey of practicing rheumatologists.

We aimed to describe how often Japanese rheumatologists currently use musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS), and how they are currently being trained in the use of this imaging technique. Questionnaires were sent to 200 Japanese rheumatologists: 100 to participants attending the first Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Society of Imaging in Rheumatic Diseases in 2006, and 100 to other randomly selected rheumatologists certified by the Japan College of Rheumatology. A total of 139 questionnaires (74 from meeting participants, 65 from randomly selected rheumatologists) were completed and analyzed. Twenty-four of the 74 respondents (32.4%) in the meeting participants group used MSUS imaging for patient management, while only 7 of the 65 respondents (10.8%) in the certified rheumatologists group used MSUS imaging for patient management. Sixty-five of the 74 respondents (87.8%) in the meeting participants group and 54 of the 65 respondents (83.1%) in the certified rheumatologists group considered MSUS to be a useful tool. Only a minority of respondents used MSUS in the management of their patients. Lack of training in MSUS was the principal reason for not performing MSUS. Japanese rheumatologists would prefer future training in the form of intensive courses and training sessions.

A case of Poncet's disease (tuberculous rheumatism).

We describe a 37-year-old woman with recurrent polyarthritis, and recurrent erythema nodosum on the flexible side of her left forearm. On an X-ray of the chest, infiltration of the right upper lobe was observed. Transcription-reverse transcription concerted reaction in sputum samples revealed Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Resolution of the polyarthritis with anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs occurred in 3 days. We diagnosed her with Poncet's disease (PD). PD is considered to be a reactive arthritis, which is a different entity from tuberculous arthritis. Although PD is a rare disease, we should be aware of it as one of the differential diagnoses, even in patients without typical symptoms of TB.

The 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Pneumococcal pneumonia is the most frequent form of pneumonia. We herein assessed the effectiveness of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) in the prevention of pneumonia overall in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients at risk for infections. We hypothesized that PPSV23 vaccination is superior in preventing pneumococcal pneumonia compared with placebo in RA patients. METHODS: A prospective, multicenter, double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled (1:1) trial was conducted across departments of rheumatology in Japanese National Hospital Organization hospitals. RA patients (n = 900) who had been treated with biological or immunosuppressive agents were randomly assigned PPSV23 or placebo (sodium chloride). The primary endpoints were the incidences of all-cause pneumonia and pneumococcal pneumonia. The secondary endpoint was death from pneumococcal pneumonia, all-cause pneumonia, or other causes. Cox regression models were used to estimate the risk of pneumonia overall for the placebo group compared with the vaccine group. RESULTS: Seventeen (3.7%) of 464 patients in the vaccine group and 15 (3.4%) of 436 patients in the placebo group developed pneumonia. There was no difference in the rates of pneumonia between the two study groups. The overall rate of pneumonia was 21.8 per 1000 person-years for patients with RA. The presence of interstitial pneumonia (hazard ratio: 3.601, 95% confidence interval: 1.547-8.380) was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in RA patients. CONCLUSION: PPSV23 does not prevent against pneumonia overall in RA patients at relative risk for infections. Our results also confirm that the presence of interstitial lung disease is associated with pneumonia in Japanese patients with RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR UMIN000009566 . Registered 17 December 2012.

Continuous evolution of clinical phenotype in 578 Japanese patients with Behçet's disease: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that the phenotypes of Behçet's disease (BD) in Japan are changing. To ask whether the evolution of BD holds true in recent-onset cases in Japan, we performed a retrospective study. METHODS: We reviewed the records of 578 patients with BD who met the 1987 revised diagnostic criteria of the Behçet's disease research committee of Japan. The patients were divided into three groups based on the date of disease onset. We compared the demography, clinical features, and treatments among them with or without adjustment for the observation period. Patients having oral ulcers, genital ulcers, regional skin involvement, and uveitis are categorized as having complete-type BD, and the associated factors were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Male patients had a higher propensity for uveitis and central nervous system (CNS) involvement, whereas female patients had higher rates of genital ulcers and arthritis. We found a significant trend in reduction of complete-type, genital ulcer, HLA-B51 carriers, and increment of gastrointestinal BD over time. Multiple regression analysis identified HLA-B51 positivity, earlier date of disease onset, and younger age of onset as independently associated with complete-type BD. Although treatments had been also chronologically changed, the causative relationship between therapeutic agents and phenotypical changes was not determined from the study. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that phenotypical evolution was characterized by decreased incidence of the complete type and increment of gastrointestinal involvement in Japanese patients with BD during the last 30 years.

Effect of abatacept on the immunogenicity of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (PPSV23) in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with abatacept (ABT) are at increased risk for vaccine-preventable infections. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the humoral response to 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV23) vaccination in RA patients receiving ABT. METHODS: The immunogenicity study was nested within a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study, designed to evaluate the efficacy of the PPSV23. PPSV23 was given to 111 RA patients, who were classified into three groups: RA control (n = 35), methotrexate (MTX) alone (n = 55), and ABT (n = 21). Before and 4-6 weeks after vaccination, we measured the patients' concentrations of antibodies against pneumococcal serotypes 6B and 23F using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and determined their antibody functionality using a multiplexed opsonophagocytic killing assay, reported as the opsonization index (OI). RESULTS: The pneumococcal serotype-specific IgG concentrations and OIs were both significantly increased in all treatment groups in response to PPSV23 vaccination. In the ABT group, the IgG responses for the 6B serotype were lower compared with those in the MTX alone or control groups, whereas the OI responses were similar to those in the other two groups. In a subgroup analysis, the pneumococcal serotype-specific IgG responses were significantly lower in both serotypes (6B and 23F) in the ABT/MTX group; however, the OI responses in the ABT group were not different from the control group. There was no association between the pneumococcal serotype-specific IgG and OI responses for the 6B serotype in patients receiving ABT in contrast to the control or MTX alone patients. No severe adverse effects were observed in any of the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: OI responses indicate antibody functionality rather than simply their amount, so the similarity of these measurements between all three groups suggests that RA patients receiving ABT still benefit from receiving the PPSV23 vaccination, even though they produce less IgG in response to it. The results suggest an influence of ABT on the humoral response to PPSV23 vaccination under MTX treatment; however, preserved opsonin responses are expected in RA patients treated with ABT plus MTX. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000009566. Registered 12 December 2012.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving tacrolimus.

INTRODUCTION: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving immunosuppressive treatments, vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae is recommended. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of tacrolimus (TAC) on immune response following administration of a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) in patients with established RA. METHODS: Patients with RA (n = 133) were vaccinated with PPSV23. Patients were classified into TAC (n = 29), methotrexate (MTX) (n = 55), control (n = 35), and TAC/MTX (n = 14) treatment groups. We measured the concentrations of pneumococcal serotypes 6B and 23F by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and determined antibody functionality by using a multiplexed opsonophagocytic killing assay, reported as the opsonization index (OI), before and 4 to 6 weeks after vaccination. A positive antibody response was defined as at least a twofold increase in the IgG concentration or as at least a 10-fold increase in the OI. RESULTS: IgG concentrations and OIs were significantly increased in all treatment groups after PPSV23 vaccination. The TAC treatment group appears to respond in a manner similar to that of the RA control group in terms of 6B and 23F serotype concentration and function. In contrast, the MTX group had the lowest immune response. Patients who received a combination of TAC and MTX (TAC/MTX) also had a diminished immune response compared with those who received TAC alone. CONCLUSIONS: TAC monotherapy does not appear to impair PPSV23 immunogenicity in patients with RA, whereas antibody production and function may be reduced when TAC is used with MTX. Thus, PPSV23 administration during ongoing TAC treatment should be encouraged for infection-prone TAC-treated patients with rheumatic diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000009566. Registered 12 December 2012.

Opsonic and Antibody Responses to Pneumococcal Polysaccharide in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Receiving Golimumab Plus Methotrexate.

Vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae is recommended for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving immunosuppressive treatments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the humoral response to 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination (PPSV23) in RA patients receiving methotrexate (MTX) alone or in combination with a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor, golimumab (GOM).PPSV23 was given to 114 RA patients, who were classified into three groups: RA control (n = 35), MTX alone (n = 55), and GOM + MTX (n = 24). Before and 4 to 6 weeks after vaccination, concentrations of antibodies against pneumococcal serotypes 6B and 23F were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and antibody functionality was determined using a multiplexed opsonophagocytic killing assay, reported as the opsonization index (OI).The IgG concentrations and OIs were both significantly increased in all treatment groups in response to PPSV23 vaccination. In the GOM + MTX group, the IgG responses were lower than those in the MTX alone or control groups, whereas the OI responses were similar to those in the other 2 groups. Furthermore, discrepancies between the IgG and OI responses were found in GOM + MTX group. No severe adverse effect was observed in any treatment groups.OI responses indicate that antibody functionality rather than antibody quantity is important. The similarity of these measurements between all 3 groups suggests that RA patients receiving MTX + GOM still benefit from receiving the PPSV23 vaccination, even though they produce less IgG in response to it. These results can help clinicians to better schedule and evaluate pneumococcal vaccination for RA patients.

[Case of eosinophilic fasciitis with change of serum Th 1/Th 2 cytokine level which correlated with disease activity].

A 25-year-old female who had right knee and ankle joint swelling with arthralgia in July 1999, was diagnosed as having eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) based on typical skin sign and the result of muscle biopsy. Treatment was started with 20 mg of oral prednisolone per day. Her symptoms had subsided but they later recurred as the prednisolone dose was gradually tapered. We measured her serum cytokine levels during the course. Her serum IFN-gamma increased and IL-4 decreased after the treatment compared with those levels prior to treatment. And the cytokine levels reverted to pre-treatment status when she had a relapse. The cytokine balance seems to play some role in the etiology of EF.

[Two cases of limited cutaneous nodular amyloidosis with primary Sjögren's syndrome].

We described two female patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome associated with localized cutaneous nodular amyloidosis (LCNA), in which amyloid protein was derived from immunoglobulin light chain. Case 1; a 70-year-old female had complained with polyarthralgia, low-grade fever and parotid gland swelling. She was diagnosed as primary Sjögren's syndrome. Three years later she noticed brown color small tumor on the thigh and yellow to brown nodules on the bilateral calves of legs. Skin biopsy from the left thigh revealed amyloid L protein deposition, which was positive for anti-lambda light chain staining, in almost entire dermis. Infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells around the amyloid deposit were prominent. Case 2; a 51-year-old female had noticed increasing eruption on the hip. Skin biopsy revealed amyloid L protein deposition in the dermis, which was negative for anti-lambda nor kappa light chain staining. When she was refereed to our hospital, she complained of xerostomia and xerophthalmia. She was diagnosed as primary Sjögren's syndrome. In both cases, histological examination of a minor salivary gland biopsy revealed infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells but not amyloid deposit. Serum M protein and urine Bence-Jones protein were not detected. These cases represent localized amyloidosis without systemic involvement. It is widely recognized that Sjögren's syndrome is frequently accompanied by B cell lymphoproliferative disorders. In LCNA, infiltration of plasma cells around the amyloid deposits was frequently prominent. The relation between these two disorders is discussed.

Pregnancy outcomes in Japanese patients with SLE: retrospective review of 55 pregnancies at a university hospital.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is mainly a disease of fertile women and the coexistence of pregnancy is by no means a rare event. How SLE and its treatment affect pregnancy outcomes is still a matter of debate. We performed a retrospective analysis of 41 SLE patients (55 pregnancies) who were followed at our university hospital from January 2000 to December 2009. The mean age of patients was 30.6±4.8 years and mean disease duration was 6.6±5.3 years. After exclusion of artificial abortions, live birth rate was 84%. Significantly, more women with stillbirth pregnancies were complicated with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) than women with live birth pregnancies (two of eight stillbirth pregnancies (25%) versus one of 42 live birth pregnancies (2%); p=0.014) and hypocomplementemia at conception (four of eight stillbirth pregnancies (50%) versus six of 42 live birth pregnancies (14%); p=0.021). Compared with nonrenal pregnancies, renal pregnancies were younger at SLE disease onset, had a lower positivity of anti-RNP antibody, and were more complicated with pregnancy-induced hypertension. Past maximum dose of prednisolone, the dose of prednisolone at conception, and percentage of past steroid pulse therapy were higher in renal pregnancies. Outcomes of pregnancies were not significantly different both for mothers and for infants between renal and nonrenal pregnancies. We conclude that it is necessary to provide SLE mothers with the proper information before pregnancy. Women with APS or hypocomplementemia should be regarded with particular attention. Optimal management of mothers and infants requires collaborative efforts of rheumatologists and obstetricians.

Behçet disease: evolution of clinical manifestations.

Clinical phenotypes of Behçet disease (BD) vary among ethnic groups. We chronologically analyzed the clinical manifestations of BD in 412 patients meeting the Japanese criteria for BD seen at 2 Yokohama City University hospitals from July 1991 to December 2007. We examined the onset of individual symptoms in each patient. A single initial symptom appeared earlier than any other manifestation in 78% of the patients. Time from the initial symptom to diagnosis was 8.6 ± 10.1 years. Oral ulcer, the most common initial manifestation, preceded the diagnosis by 7.5 ± 10.2 years. Genital ulcer and eye and skin involvement appeared 1 or 2 years before diagnosis, whereas gastrointestinal, central nervous system, or vascular involvement developed later. The frequency of eye involvement was significantly higher in patients with neurologic lesions, but significantly lower in those with gastrointestinal or vascular involvement. However, no particular combination of major symptoms predicted the development of organ involvement. There has been a recent decrease in the rate of "complete" BD (patients having all 4 of the major symptoms of oral ulcers, genital ulcers, and eye and skin lesions), whereas the frequencies of arthritis, gastrointestinal, and vascular involvement have been increasing. Further assessment may allow the detection of early predictors of the more aggressive disease, which requires more intensive treatment.

Neurological manifestations of Behçet's disease in Japan: a study of 54 patients.

The type and frequency of neurological manifestations of Behçet's disease (BD) vary with ethnicity. We analyzed the neurological manifestations of BD in Japanese patients. All patients undergoing treatment at one of the two Yokohama City University hospitals from July 1991 to December 2007 and who fulfilled the Japanese criteria for BD revised in 1987 were studied retrospectively by chart review. Patients had been neurologically assessed by neurologists. We recorded neurological signs and symptoms, magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography findings, and results of cerebrospinal fluid examinations from the records of each patient. We studied 412 patients with BD, of whom 54 (13%) had neurological involvement (neuro-Behçet's disease: NB). NB patients included a significantly higher proportion of males (61%) than non-NB patients (42%, P = 0.009). The majority of patients (n = 38, 70%) had acute parenchymal NB, 15 (28%) had chronic progressive parenchymal NB, and 1 (2%) had the non-parenchymal type. Headache and fever were more frequently reported by patients with acute parenchymal NB. Personality changes, sphincter disturbances, involuntary movements, and ataxia occurred predominantly in patients with chronic progressive parenchymal NB. Lesions were distributed throughout the CNS, but mainly in the brainstem, white matter, and basal ganglia. Analysis of end-point clinical outcomes revealed a poor prognosis for patients with chronic progressive NB. In Japan, most NB patients have the parenchymal type, and male gender is a predisposing factor. Because of the unfavorable prognosis associated with chronic progressive NB, development of effective therapies are urgently needed.

Serum HO-1 is useful to make differential diagnosis of secondary hemophagocytic syndrome from other similar hematological conditions.

Heme oxygenase (HO)-1, a heme-degrading enzyme inducible by various stimuli, plays a key role in the regulation of inflammatory response in monocytes/macrophages. The serum HO-1 level is remarkably increased in patients with secondary hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) or adult-onset Still's disease. We measured serum HO-1 levels in patients with a variety of hematological diseases, including secondary HPS, by means of ELISA. Serum HO-1 levels were significantly higher in 22 patients with HPS (134.7 +/- 116.2 ng/mL, P < 0.0001) at diagnosis than in 80 patients with other hematological diseases. The most effective cutoff point between HPS and other conditions was 14.5 ng/mL, with 100.0% sensitivity and 96.3% specificity. In HPS patients, the serum HO-1 levels showed the highest correlation with serum ferritin (r = 0.682, P = 0.0005), which reflects the disease activity of HPS. Moreover, both HO-1 and ferritin levels were reduced in parallel after successful treatment in patients with HPS, irrespective of underlying diseases. However, HO-1 levels were not elevated in patients with other causes of hyperferritinemia. These data demonstrate that serum HO-1 can distinguish secondary HPS from other hematological diseases, including those associated with hyperferritinemia.

The efficacy and safety of bucillamine as a second-line DMARD in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a retrospective cohort study.

We investigated the efficacy and safety of bucillamine administered as a second-line DMARD compared to administration as a first-line DMARD in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We conducted a retrospective cohort study and reviewed medical records of 86 patients with active RA who began to receive bucillamine at Yokohama Minami Kyosai Hospital between January 1998 and July 2004. The efficacy of treatments was compared based on rates of achievement of 20, 50, and 70% improvement in ACR core set 6 months after initiation of the therapy. In the group administered bucillamine as a first-line DMARD (18 patients), 44.4, 22.2, and 11.1% of patients achieved ACR 20, 50, 70, respectively, while 56.5, 34.1, and 19.5% achieved ACR 20, 50, 70, respectively, in the group administered bucillamine following switching from MTX (46 patients), and 53.3, 33.3, and 13.3% achieved ACR 20, 50, and 70, respectively, in the group administered bucillamine following switching from Sulfasalazine (SSZ) (15 patients). The rates of achievements of ACR 20, 50, 70 did not differ statistically between the three groups and there was no increase in risk of serious adverse effects related to previous DMARDs. The usefulness of bucillamine as a second-line DMARD was demonstrated.