Videocapillaroscopic Findings in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus With or Without Jaccoud Arthropathy.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can present changes in blood vessels, which can be evaluated by periungual nailfold videocapillaroscopy (VCP). This technique is important for the diagnosis of systemic sclerosis and to identify individuals with Raynaud phenomenon at higher risk of developing systemic sclerosis. This study aims to describe the videocapillaroscopic profile of a series of SLE patients and to investigate if the VCP pattern is different among those with Jaccoud arthropathy (JA) compared with those without. METHODS: Between September 2014 and March 2015, the patients in this study underwent VCP, clinical evaluation, and laboratory tests. The capillaroscopic patterns were defined as minor, major, and scleroderma (SD). The presence of capillaroscopic findings, such as elongated capillaries, tortuosity, ectasia, prominent venous plexus, neoangiogenesis, hemorrhage, and megacapillaries, were also observed. Associations were calculated using the χ2, Fisher exact, or Student t test. RESULTS: In a population of 113 females with SLE (67 without JA and 46 with JA), at least 1 alteration was observed in VCP in 89.40% of them, among which "nonspecific changes" were the most prevalent. Minor changes were seen in 39 (58.2%) and 26 (56.5%), major changes in 21 (31.3%) and 11 (23.9%), and SD pattern in 2 (3.0%) and 3 (6.5%), in the patients without and with JA, respectively (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with SLE demonstrated changes in the VCP examination, but this tool did not allow discrimination between those with or without JA.

Sonographic Findings of Hands and Wrists in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients With Jaccoud Arthropathy.

INTRODUCTION: Jaccoud arthropathy (JA) is a deforming nonerosive arthropathy, characterized by the presence of "reversible" joint deformity. The study aims at describing the main musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) findings of a series of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with JA. METHODS: Consecutive patients diagnosed as having JA and SLE were included in the study. All patients underwent a whole clinical evaluation and US of the hands and wrists. The US scan evaluated the presence of synovial hypertrophy, tenosynovitis, and bone erosions. RESULTS: Thirty-nine of 40 patients were female. The US examination was performed on 560 joints of the hands and wrists. At least 1 change was observed in the US examination of 20 patients (50.0%), but there was not a statistically significant association with disease activity (P = 0.33). Nineteen patients (47.5%) had synovial hypertrophy, 9 (22.5%) had tenosynovitis, and 7 (17.5%) had both. Isolated small bone erosions were identified in 2 patients (5.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound examination is a reliable and noninvasive imaging method for the evaluation of joint involvement in SLE. Half of the patients with JA have ultrasonographic signs of joint inflammation, and these abnormalities may be found even in the absence of disease activity.

Adiponectin levels and insulin resistance among patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with insulin resistance (IR), rapid disease progression, and decreased virological response to antiviral treatment. In addition, obesity is a risk factor for chronic hepatitis C evolution and is associated with IR. As adiponectin is an adipokine that is associated with obesity and IR, this study aimed to investigate serum levels of adiponectin among patients with HCV infection and IR. Thirty-three patients with untreated HCV infection underwent testing of serum adiponectin levels (capture ELISA) and were compared to 30 healthy subjects with similar body mass indexes (BMI). Data were also obtained for several homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) indexes: HOMA-IR, HOMA-ß, and HOMA-adiponectin. Patients with HCV infection had higher adiponectin levels, which predominantly were observed among women. Hyperadiponectinemia was not associated with high BMI. Patients with HCV infection had higher HOMA-IR and HOMA-ß values, although no difference was observed for HOMA-adiponectin. Patients with HCV infection and overweight/obese status had higher HOMA-IR values, although no association was observed for adiponectin levels. Hyperadiponectinemia and IR were not influenced by HCV load or liver fibrosis. The predictors of IR were BMI, glycemia, and serum levels of insulin and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but not adiponectin levels. Thus, patients with chronic hepatitis C have significant metabolic alterations (hyperadiponectinemia and high HOMA-IR values) that are independent of HCV viremia and liver fibrosis. Among these patients, HOMA-IR but not HOMA-adiponectin was appropriate for diagnosing IR.

Disruption of Splenic Lymphoid Tissue and Plasmacytosis in Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis: Changes in Homing and Survival of Plasma Cells.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a disease caused by Leishmania infantum, which is transmitted by phlebotomine sandflies. Dogs are the main urban reservoir of this parasite and the disease presents similar characteristics in both humans and dogs. In this paper, we investigated the potential pathways involved in plasma cell replacement of normal cell populations in the spleen, with respect to disease severity in dogs from an endemic area for visceral leishmaniasis. To this end, canine spleen samples were grouped into three categories: TYPE1SC- (non-infected dogs or without active infection with organized white pulp), TYPE1SC+ (infected dogs with organized white pulp) or TYPE3SC+ (infected animals with disorganized white pulp). We analyzed the distribution of different plasma cell isotypes (IgA, IgG and IgM) in the spleen. The expression of cytokines and chemokines involved in plasma cell homing and survival were assessed by real time RT-PCR. Polyclonal B cell activation and hypergammaglobulinemia were also evaluated. The proportion of animals with moderate or intense plasmacytosis was higher in the TYPE3SC+ group than in the other groups (Fisher test, P<0.05). This was mainly due to a higher density of IgG+ plasma cells in the red pulp of this group. The albumin/globulin ratio was lower in the TYPE3SC+ animals than in the TYPE1SC- or TYPE1SC+ animals, which evidences VL-associated dysproteinemia. Interestingly, TYPE3SC+ animals showed increased expression of the BAFF and APRIL cytokines, as well as chemokine CXCL12. Aberrant expression of BAFF, APRIL and CXCL12, together with amplified extrafollicular B cell activation, lead to plasma cell homing and the extended survival of these cells in the splenic red pulp compartment. These changes in the distribution of immunocompetent cells in the spleen may contribute to the progression of VL, and impair the spleen's ability to protect against blood borne pathogens.