Clinical features of patients with connective tissue disease with anti-human upstream binding factor antibodies: A single-center retrospective study.

Anti-human upstream-binding factor (anti-hUBF) antibodies have been reported predominantly in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs); these have also been reported in patients without CTDs such as hepatocellular carcinoma. Because of the low frequency of expression and few case reports, there is no consensus on the clinical significance of these antibodies. Thus, we aimed to examine the clinical features of patients with anti-hUBF antibodies and analyzed 1042 patients with clinically suspected CTDs. The presence of anti-hUBF antibodies was screened using immunoprecipitation assays. Of the 1042 patients, 19 (1.82%) tested positive for anti-hUBF antibodies; among them, 10 (56%) were diagnosed with undifferentiated CTD (UCTD), six with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and three with other diseases. Five of the 10 patients with UCTD were referred to our hospital with suspected SSc. None of the five patients fulfilled the 2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria, but three scored seven points, a relatively high score. Six anti-hUBF-positive patients with SSc had a significantly lower modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) than that of anti-hUBF-negative patients with SSc (2 [0-2] vs 7 [0-49], p < 0.01). Compared with anti-topoisomerase I-positive patients, anti-hUBF-positive patients had a significantly lower mRSS (2 [0-2] vs 13 [0-42], p < 0.01) and lower incidence of scleroderma renal crisis (0 of 6 vs 8 of 184, p < 0.01). Compared with anti-centromere-positive patients, anti-hUBF-positive patients had a higher incidence of interstitial lung disease (ILD), but the difference was not statistically significant (4 of 6 vs 19 of 239). In conclusion, anti-hUBF antibodies were predominantly detected in patients with CTDs and UCTD. In patients with CTDs, SSc exhibited a high ratio, displaying a lower mRSS and higher incidence of ILD. In patients with UCTD, careful follow-up is recommended as they may develop CTDs in the future.

Integrative Analysis Reveals a Molecular Stratification of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical heterogeneity, a hallmark of systemic autoimmune diseases, impedes early diagnosis and effective treatment, issues that may be addressed if patients could be classified into groups defined by molecular pattern. This study was undertaken to identify molecular clusters for reclassifying systemic autoimmune diseases independently of clinical diagnosis. METHODS: Unsupervised clustering of integrated whole blood transcriptome and methylome cross-sectional data on 955 patients with 7 systemic autoimmune diseases and 267 healthy controls was undertaken. In addition, an inception cohort was prospectively followed up for 6 or 14 months to validate the results and analyze whether or not cluster assignment changed over time. RESULTS: Four clusters were identified and validated. Three were pathologic, representing "inflammatory," "lymphoid," and "interferon" patterns. Each included all diagnoses and was defined by genetic, clinical, serologic, and cellular features. A fourth cluster with no specific molecular pattern was associated with low disease activity and included healthy controls. A longitudinal and independent inception cohort showed a relapse-remission pattern, where patients remained in their pathologic cluster, moving only to the healthy one, thus showing that the molecular clusters remained stable over time and that single pathogenic molecular signatures characterized each individual patient. CONCLUSION: Patients with systemic autoimmune diseases can be jointly stratified into 3 stable disease clusters with specific molecular patterns differentiating different molecular disease mechanisms. These results have important implications for future clinical trials and the study of nonresponse to therapy, marking a paradigm shift in our view of systemic autoimmune diseases.

Serum IgG2 antibody multicomposition in systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis (Part 1): cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Serum anti-dsDNA and anti-nucleosome IgGs have been proposed as signatures for SLE and LN in limited numbers of patients. We sought to show higher sensitivity and specificity of the same antibodies with the IgG2 isotype and included IgG2 antibodies vs specific intracellular antigens in the analysis. METHODS: A total of 1052 SLE patients with (n = 479) and without (n = 573) LN, recruited at different times from the beginning of symptoms, were included in the study. Patients with primary APS (PAPS, n = 24), RA (RA, n = 24) and UCTD (UCTD, n = 96) were analysed for comparison. Anti-nucleosome (dsDNA, Histone2A, Histone3), anti-intracellular antigens (ENO1), anti-annexin A1 and anti-C1q IgG2 were determined by non-commercial techniques. RESULTS: The presence in the serum of the IgG2 panel was highly discriminatory for SLE/LN vs healthy subjects. Serum levels of anti-dsDNA and anti-C1q IgG2 were more sensitive than those of IgGs (Farr radioimmunoassay/commercial assays) in identifying SLE patients at low-medium increments. Of more importance, serum positivity for anti-ENO1 and anti-H2A IgG2 discriminated between LN and SLE (ROC T0-12 months), and high levels at T0-1 month were detected in 63% and 67%, respectively, of LN, vs 3% and 3%, respectively, of SLE patients; serum positivity for each of these was correlated with high SLEDAI values. Minor differences existed between LN/SLE and the other rheumatologic conditions. CONCLUSION: Nephritogenic IgG2 antibodies represent a specific signature of SLE/LN, with a few overlaps with other rheumatologic conditions. High levels of anti-ENO1 and anti-H2A IgG2 correlated with SLE activity indexes and were discriminatory between SLE patients limited to the renal complication and other SLE patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The Zeus study was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02403115.

A multicentre study of 244 pregnancies in undifferentiated connective tissue disease: maternal/fetal outcomes and disease evolution.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate fetal/perinatal and maternal outcomes from a large multicentre cohort of women diagnosed with UCTD. METHODS: This multicentre retrospective cohort study describes the outcomes of 224 pregnancies in 133 consecutive women with a diagnosis of UCTD, positive for ANA and aged <45 years old at study inclusion. RESULTS: Of the 224 pregnancies analysed, 177 (79%) resulted in live births, 45 (20.1%) in miscarriages (defined as pregnancy loss before 12 weeks' gestation), 2 (0.9%) in stillbirths (pregnancy loss after 20 weeks' gestation) and 6 (2.7%) cases showed intrauterine growth restriction. Miscarriages and stillbirths were strongly associated with the presence of aPL and ENA antibodies (P < 0.05). Maternal pregnancy complications were as follows: 5 (2.2%) cases developed pre-eclampsia, 11 (4.9%) cases gestational hypertension and 12 (5.4%) cases gestational diabetes. Joint involvement represented the most frequent clinical manifestation of the cohort (57.9%), followed by RP (40.6%), photosensitivity (32.3%) and haematological manifestations (27.1%). The rate of disease evolution of our cohort from a diagnosis of UCTD to a diagnosis of definite CTD was 12% within a mean time of 5.3 ± 2.8 years. With a total follow-up after first pregnancy of 1417 patient-years, we observed the evolution to a defined CTD in one out of every 88 patient- years. CONCLUSION: In our multicentre cohort, women with UCTD had a live birth rate of 79%. Women with UCTD should be referred to specialist follow-up when planning a pregnancy. ENA profiling and aPL testing should be mandatory in this setting, and further therapeutic approaches and management should be planned accordingly.

Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features and Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease.

In 2015, a multidisciplinary task force comprising pulmonologists, rheumatologists, pathologists, and radiologists representing the European Respiratory Society and American Thoracic Society published a diagnostic classification schema for individuals with interstitial lung disease and autoimmune features who did not meet criteria for a defined connective tissue disease. The term interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) was applied. Classification criteria are often nonspecific, but up to 90% of subjects with IPAF have serological evidence for autoimmunity (particularly (+) antinuclear antibodies). Distinguishing patients with IPAF from idiopathic pulmonary disorders may be difficult. The natural history and appropriate management of IPAF have not been clarified, as data are largely limited to retrospective studies. In this review, we discuss the salient clinical, serologic, histologic, and radiographic features of IPAF and discuss an approach to management.

Systemic lupus erythematosus and thyroid disease - Experience in a single medical center in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with thyroid diseases in a medical center in central Taiwan. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort of 2796 SLE patients in a tertiary referral medical center from 2000 to 2013. We screened SLE by catastrophic illness registration from national insurance bureau; and thyroid diseases by ICD 9 codes, then confirmed by thyroid function test, auto-antibody, medical and/or surgical intervention. We compared the rate of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) in SLE patients and the 11,184 match controls. We calculated the rate of these thyroid diseases and positive antibodies to thyroglobulin (ATGAb), thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb) in SLE patients grouped by the presence of overlap syndrome and anti-dsDNA antibody. We also compared the association of thyroid diseases to severe SLE conditions, including renal, central nervous system (CNS) involvement, and thrombocytopenia. RESULTS: Compared to the matched controls, the cumulative incidence of thyroid disease, including hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism and AITD, were all higher in SLE patients (p < 0.0001). The average age of SLE patients with thyroid diseases patients were older than those without thyroid diseases (p = 0.002). Those had euthyroid AITD were younger than other patients with thyroid diseases (p = 0.02). Up to 30.3% SLE patients had overlap syndrome and had higher relative risk of thyroid diseases than those without overlap syndrome, in terms of hypothyroidism and AITD, but not hyperthyroidism. SLE patients with thyroid diseases also carry higher risk for severe complications such as renal involvement (p = 0.024) central nervous system involvement (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: SLE patients had significantly higher rate of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and AITD than the matched control. Among lupus patients, the risks of thyroid diseases are even higher in the presence of overlap syndrome. SLE patients with thyroid diseases had higher risk of renal and CNS involvement.

Acquired renal glucosuria in an undifferentiated connective tissue disease patient with a SLC5A2 heterozygous mutation: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Renal glucosuria is a renal tubular disorder caused by genetic conditions, drugs, and poisons. Mutations in the SLC5A2 gene are recently found to be responsible for the inherited renal glucosuria, while undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) was not considered pathogenic for renal glucosuria. Here, we present a case of acquired renal glucosuria in a UCTD patient. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 30-year-old woman was seen in the outpatient clinic for complaints of frequent urination and dysuria. Laboratory tests showed a urinary tract infection (UTI) and persistent renal glucosuria. After antibiotic treatment, the UTI symptoms were relieved, but the renal glucosuria remained. DIAGNOSIS: Laboratory tests ruled out renal tubular acidosis and diabetes mellitus. Genetic analysis showed a heterozygous mutations in the SLC5A2 gene. Meanwhile, immunological tests showed a high antinuclear antibody titer (1:160) and an elevated anti-Rho/SSA antibody level. Schirmer test, tear breakup time, and lip biopsy results were all negative. The patient did not meet the criteria for any known connective diseases. Therefore, she was diagnosed with UCTD. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was started with the treatment of Hydroxychloroquine. OUTCOMES: Hydroxychloroquine treatment resolved the renal glucosuria. The patient's follow- up urinalysis showed no glucosuria at all. LESSONS: This is the first case report to demonstrate that UCTD may induce renal glucosuria in a patient with a heterozygous mutation in SLC5A2. This case suggests that during the process of diagnosing renal glucosuria, in addition to familial renal glucosuria (FRG), autoimmune diseases, though rare, should also be taken into consideration.

Variant syndromes of primary biliary cholangitis.

Patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) can show biochemical, serological and/or histological features of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The term 'AIH-PBC overlap syndrome' has been used frequently for these cases and implies the coexistence of two separate diseases. However, the boundaries between 'classical' PBC, PBC with features of AIH and 'classical' AIH are difficult to define, and therefore the term 'variant syndrome' should be preferred. A variant syndrome must primarily be assumed in PBC patients showing pronounced hepatitic activity, either expressed by elevated transaminases and raised levels of serum IgG/gammaglobulins or more specifically by liver biopsy showing a modified hepatitis activity index (mHAI) score of >4/18. The presence of AIH-specific autoantibodies also supports the diagnosis of a variant syndrome. The diagnosis must not be missed because individually adapted immunosuppressive treatment, analogous to AIH therapy, appears to have an important beneficial impact on the prognosis and should therefore be offered to these patients.

Non-specific interstitial pneumonia and features of connective tissue disease: What are the consequences of a different point of view?

Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) without a definitive diagnosis of connective tissue diseases (CTD) were historically described as Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease (UCTD-ILD). Recently a new classification, Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features (IPAF), has been proposed. Aim of this study was to describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of UCTD and IPAF subjects in a cohort of Non-Specific Interstitial Pneumonia (NSIP) patients. This retrospective, observational study enrolled 102 adult patients characterized by NSIP pattern on High Resolution Computed Tomography, without a specific diagnosis of CTD. Three groups were identified according to patients' characteristics: IPAF, UCTD or idiopathic NSIP (iNSIP). Forty percent, 27% and 55% of patients showed diagnostic criteria for IPAF, UCTD and iNSIP, respectively. No significant differences in age, gender, smoking habit, pulmonary function tests and three-year survival rate were observed among study groups. IPAF patients with antisynthetase antibodies positivity, in comparison to IPAF without antisynthetase antibodies positivity, showed more frequently an acute onset (44% vs 9%, p<0.012). The presence of autoimmune features seems not to be associated with better outcomes in NSIP patients. IPAF criteria seem to be more representative than UCTD criteria in identifying patients with autoimmune features. Further studies are needed to verify if IPAF should include patients with positive antisynthetase serology.

Primary cutaneous amyloidosis associated with autoimmune hepatitis-primary biliary cirrhosis overlap syndrome and Sjögren syndrome: A case report.

RATIONALE: Primary cutaneous amyloidosis (PCA) is a localized skin disorder characterized by the abnormal deposition of amyloid in the extracellular matrix of the dermis. The association between PCA and other diseases, although rare, has been documented for various autoimmune diseases. PCA associated with autoimmune hepatitis-primary biliary cirrhosis (AIH-PBC) overlap syndrome and Sjögren syndrome (SS) has not been previously reported in the literature. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 50-year-old woman presented with progressive abnormal liver enzyme levels and was referred to our department. DIAGNOSES: Due to the patient's symptoms, laboratory test results, radiographic findings, and pathologic results, she was diagnosed with PCA associated with AIH-PBC overlap syndrome and SS. INTERVENTIONS: She was subsequently treated with a combination of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), prednisone, and azathioprine. OUTCOMES: While this treatment can achieve therapeutic success, it cannot prevent complications from cirrhosis. This patient remains alive but experienced an emergent gastrointestinal hemorrhage. LESSONS: While we acknowledge that this is a single case, these findings extend our knowledge of immunological diseases associated with PCA and suggest a common, immune-mediated pathogenic pathway between PCA, AIH-PBC overlap syndrome, and SS. After 12 years of follow up, clinical manifestations have developed, and these autoimmune diseases have progressed. The combination of UDCA, prednisone, and azathioprine can achieve therapeutic success but cannot prevent disease progression. Routine follow up for this patient is necessary to document disease progression.

Undifferentiated connective tissue disease and interstitial lung disease: Trying to define patterns. / Enfermedad indiferenciada del tejido conectivo y enfermedad pulmonar intersticial: intentando definir patrones.

OBJECTIVES: To identify clinical or immunological features in patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) associated interstitial lung disease (ILD), in order to group them and recognize different functional and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) behavior. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. Patients meeting Kinder criteria for UCTD were included. We defined the following predictive variables: 'highly specific' connective tissue disease (CTD) manifestations (Raynaud's phenomenon, dry eyes or arthritis), high antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer (above 1: 320), and 'specific' ANA staining patterns (centromere, cytoplasmic and nucleolar patterns). We evaluated the following outcomes: change in the percentage of the predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%) during the follow-up period, and HRCT pattern. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were included. Twenty-nine (43.94%) showed at least one 'highly specific' CTD manifestation, 16 (28.57%) had a 'specific' ANA staining pattern and 29 (43.94%) high ANA titer. Patients with 'highly specific' CTD manifestations were younger (mean [SD] 52 years [14.58] vs 62.08 years [9.46], P<.001), were more likely men (10.34% vs 48.65%, P<.001) and showed a smaller decline of the FVC% (median [interquartile range] 1% [-1 to 10] vs -6% [-16 to -4], P<.006). In the multivariate analysis, the presence of highly specific manifestations was associated with improvement in the FVC% (B coefficient of 13.25 [95% confidence interval, 2.41 to 24.09]). No association was observed in relation to the HRCT pattern. CONCLUSION: The presence of 'highly specific' CTD manifestations was associated with female sex, younger age and better functional behavior. These findings highlight the impact of the clinical features in the outcome of patients with UCTD ILD.

Clinical associations of the positive anti Ro52 without Ro60 autoantibodies: undifferentiated connective tissue diseases.

AIMS: Autoantibodies targeting Ro52 and Ro60 antigens are historically reported as anti SSA/Ro. In general anti SSA/Ro results are either anti Ro52+Ro60+ or anti Ro52-Ro60+ antibodies. Anti Ro52 without anti Ro60 (Ro52+ Ro60-) antibodies are often not reported routinely. This study intends to review the potential significance of these autoantibodies in the management of connective tissue diseases. METHOD: A retrospective survey of Ro52+Ro60- was carried out as part of the service evaluation of extractable nuclear antigen antibodies (ENA) reporting from the immunology laboratory, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC), UK. The clinical documents and laboratory results of 97 patients with Ro52+Ro60- and 100 patients with Ro52+Ro60+ were reviewed. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients (73%) with anti Ro52+Ro60- antibodies have been diagnosed with autoimmune conditions including undifferentiated connective tissue diseases (n=14, 14%), systemic lupus erythematosus (n=10, 10%), Sjögren's syndrome (n=10, 10%) and rheumatoid arthritis (n=13, 13%). Twenty-three patients (24%) with anti Ro52+Ro60- antibodies have no autoimmune features but were found to have significant clinical conditions including malignancies. In contrast, 87 patients (87%) with anti Ro52+Ro60+ antibodies have autoimmune conditions including Sjögren's syndrome (n=34, 34%), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; n=23, 23%), undifferentiated connective tissue diseases (n=12, 12%) and rheumatoid arthritis (n=6, 6%). CONCLUSION: Anti Ro52 without anti Ro60 (Ro52+Ro60-) antibodies should be reported. In the majority of patients these autoantibodies were associated with various autoimmune diseases. Anti Ro52+Ro60- antibodies were also found in patients with significant clinical conditions including malignancies even though there was no suggestion of autoimmunity at the time of testing.

Lung involvement in "stable" undifferentiated connective tissue diseases: a rheumatology perspective.

Previous studies of the occurrence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in undifferentiated connective tissue diseases (UCTD) were conducted in patients admitted to Respiratory Medicine Units. The aim of the present prospective study was to investigate lung involvement in UCTD patients admitted to a Rheumatology Unit. Eighty-one consecutive UCTD patients were enrolled in the study. Each patient underwent history and physical examination, routine laboratory investigations, antinuclear antibody (ANA) profiling, B-mode echocardiography, and lung function study according to previously reported methods. Lung high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed in patients who provided informed consent. Six patients (7.4%) had a history of grade II dyspnea. Three of them had a DLCO ranging from 42 to 55% of the predicted value; and a HRCT-documented ILD with a non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) pattern. Symptoms in the other three patients were due to cardiac disease. None of the 75 asymptomatic patients, had relevant findings at physical examination, 26/75 had a DLCO <80% (<70% in 10 cases). Of these, 3 of the 30 patients who underwent lung HRCT were affected by NSIP-ILD. Six of the 81 enrolled were affected by ILD, which was symptomatic in three patients. A higher percentage of patients had a reduced DLCO. The latter finding may reflect a preradiographic ILD or a preechocardiographic pulmonary vascular disease.

The clinical impact of Anti-DFS70 antibodies in undifferentiated connective tissue disease: case reports and a review of the literature.

Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) positivity suggests CTD but can also lead to a diagnosis of UCTD when a patient does not fulfill the CTD diagnostic criteria. An anti-dense fine speckled (DFS) immunofluorescence (IIF) pattern can be observed when using an ANA test on HEp-2 cells and is due to the presence of antibodies to the nuclear DFS70 antigen that has rarely found in CTD. Serological testing for anti-DFS70 antibodies could therefore play a very interesting negative predictive role in stratifying patients on the basis of the evolution of UCTD to CTD. We described two patients ANA and anti-DFS70 positive in which the use of new method allowing the immunoadsorption of anti-DFS70 antibodies has permitted to exclude the incorrect diagnosis of CTD.