Treatment of multicentric reticulohistiocytosis with tocilizumab.

Multicentric reticulohistiocytosis (MRH) is a rare multisystem, granulomatous debilitating disease. It affects the skin with a nodular diffuse dermatitis and the joints with a severe, potentially deforming, and handicapping arthritis. No standardized therapy exists, it is a disease with heterogeneous severity, and therefore, a diversity of therapeutic responses has been published.Current experience with anti-tumor necrosis factor agents in disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-refractory MRH cases is encouraging, and other agents such as bisphosphonates have proven effective as well. Histological analysis of the granulomatous inflammatory lesions have shown the presence of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1, and interleukin 6; the presence of the latter makes tocilizumab a plausible alternative.In this article, we report a 35-year-old woman with MRH refractory to a combined scheme of prednisone and methotrexate, both at high doses, and who received tocilizumab achieving remission on both cutaneous and articular symptoms. Our patient markedly improved by the second infusion (8 mg/kg monthly), and after 9 infusions, she remained asymptomatic; no toxicity was detected. Tocilizumab could be an alternative for disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-refractory MRH.

[Adaptation and validation of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Scale (RAQoL) to Mexican Spanish]. / Adaptación y validación del Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Scale (RAQoL) al español de México.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate the Mexican-Spanish version of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life questionnaire (RAQoL). METHODS: The original UK English version of RAQoL was translated into Mexican-Spanish version by a bilingual translation panel. An independent lay panel reviewed the instrument's item phrasing to ensure comprehensiveness and appropriateness in colloquial Mexican-Spanish. Structured cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with 15 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients to assess face and content validity. Finally, an independent sample of RA patients completed the RAQoL and additional assessments were performed to assess reproducibility and construct validity. RESULTS: Translation and adaptation was successful as both the lay panel and cognitive debriefing participants considered the new language version to be appropriate. Fifty-seven patients were included in the final evaluation of the Mexican-Spanish version of RAQoL (73.8% female, mean age 52.4 years, SD 14.1, RA duration range 2-27 years). Cronbach's α for the new RAQoL was 0.91 and the test-retest reliability 0.92, indicating that the measure has good internal consistency and low random measurement error. The Mexican-Spanish version of RAQoL could discriminate between patients who differed on their perception of disease activity, general health status, current rating of perceived RA severity and whether or not they were experiencing a disease flare. CONCLUSIONS: The Mexican-Spanish version of RAQoL was well accepted by RA patients. The psychometric quality of the adapted questionnaire shows that it is suitable for use in clinical studies and trials of patients with RA.

Aspectos descriptivos del odontoma: revisión de la literatura / Descriptive aspects of odontoma: literature review

Resumen: Los odontomas corresponden a los tumores odontogénicos más comunes (35-76%). Es un tumor benigno originado a partir de una alteración de células odontogénicas epiteliales y mesenquimatosas diferenciadas con capacidad de formar esmalte, dentina y cemento. Se clasifican en compuestos y complejos en una relación de 2:1, siendo la diferencia entre ambos la organización del tejido dentario. La etiología es desconocida pero se ha explorado la ocasión a infecciones, anomalías hereditarias, hiperactividad odontoblástica y traumatismos. El 75% de los casos se diagnostican antes de la segunda década de vida debido a un retraso en la erupción dental permanente, ya que son asintomáticos. El tratamiento es la enucleación tratando de conservar el diente permanente, siendo las recidivas poco frecuentes.

Abstract: Odontoma is the most commonly found odontogenic tumor (3576%). Odontoma is a benign tumor originating from an alteration of differentiated mesenchymal and epithelial odontogenic cells; it has the capacity of forming enamel, dentin and cement. They are classifi ed into compound and complex, in a 2:1 relationship, the difference between both being dental tissue organization. Etiology is still unknown but relation to infections, hereditary anomalies, odontoblastic hyperactivity and trauma has been explored. Since these tumors are asymptomatic, 75% of all cases are diagnosed before the second decade of life, due to a delay in eruption of permanent teeth. Treatment of choice for these tumors is enucleation, attempting to preserve the tooth; relapse is very uncommon.

Macrophage and T lymphocyte apoptosis during experimental pulmonary tuberculosis: their relationship to mycobacterial virulence.

The kinetics of macrophage and T lymphocyte apoptosis were determined in a well-characterized mouse model of pulmonary tuberculosis, comparing strains of intermediate (H37Rv) and high virulence (Beijing strain, code 9501000). Both strains induced a high percentage of apoptotic activated macrophages at days 1 and 3 post infection, although this was twofold lower in Beijing-infected mice. Progressive pneumonia started at day 14 (Beijing) or 21 (H37Rv) post infection. Pneumonic areas contained numerous macrophages with vacuolated cytoplasm (VM). In H37Rv infection few VM were apoptotic (8.7% at day 60), and the percentage was even lower in Beijing infection (1.4% at day 28). A high percentage of VM expressed the anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2 (H37Rv, 83%; Beijing, 95%). Both strains induced a progressive increase of apoptotic Th1 lymphocytes, peaking at day 60 in H37Rv infection, or 28 in Beijing infection. The peak was twofold higher in the latter. VM had strong FasL immunostaining, and confocal microscopy showed numerous apoptotic Th1 cells closely associated with them, suggesting that VM might induce apoptosis of Th1 cells. These results support the hypothesis that apoptosis of macrophages is associated with protection, while apoptosis of Th1 cells favors disease progression, and is related to the virulence of the mycobacterial strain.

Adaptación y validación del Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Scale (RAQoL) al español de México / Adaptation and validation of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life Scale (RAQoL) to mexican Spanish

Objetivo. Adaptar y validar la versión oficial del cuestionario Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life (RAQoL) al español de México. Métodos. La versión inglesa del RAQoL fue traducida al español por un panel bilingüe. Un segundo panel de individuos revisó y adaptó el fraseo de las preguntas al español cotidiano. Se realizaron entrevistas a 15 pacientes con artritis reumatoide (AR) para evaluar la validez de aspecto y contenido. El cuestionario fue aplicado en 2 ocasiones a 57 pacientes con AR para evaluar su reproducibilidad y validez de constructo. Resultados. Se encontraron pocas dificultades en las etapas de traducción y adaptación del cuestionario. Las versiones preliminar y final fueron bien recibidas por el panel de referencia y por los pacientes entrevistados respectivamente. Un total de 57 pacientes participaron en la evaluación del instrumento final (73,8% mujeres, edad promedio 52,4 años, DE 14,1, duración de la AR de 2–27 años). El α de Cronbach para el RAQoL en español de México fue de 0,91 y la fiabilidad aplicación-reaplicación de 0,92, lo que sugiere que el cuestionario muestra interrelación homogénea entre sus componentes y que tiene niveles bajos de errores aleatorios de medición. El RAQoL en español de México pudo discernir a pacientes que difirieron en relación a la percepción de la severidad de su enfermedad, estado general de salud, calificación de su enfermedad el mismo día y si cursaban o no con una recaída al momento de la evaluación. Conclusiones. El RAQoL en español de México fue bien recibido por pacientes con AR. La calidad del cuestionario adaptado lo muestra como un instrumento útil para ensayos clínicos de pacientes con AR(AU)

Objective. To develop and validate the Mexican-Spanish version of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life questionnaire (RAQoL). Methods. The original UK English version of RAQoL was translated into Mexican-Spanish version by a bilingual translation panel. An independent lay panel reviewed the instrument's item phrasing to ensure comprehensiveness and appropriateness in colloquial Mexican-Spanish. Structured cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted with 15 Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients to assess face and content validity. Finally, an independent sample of RA patients completed the RAQoL and additional assessments were performed to assess reproducibility and construct validity. Results. Translation and adaptation was successful as both the lay panel and cognitive debriefing participants considered the new language version to be appropriate. Fifty-seven patients were included in the final evaluation of the Mexican-Spanish version of RAQoL (73.8% female, mean age 52.4 years, SD 14.1, RA duration range 2–27 years). Cronbach′s α for the new RAQoL was 0.91 and the test-retest reliability 0.92, indicating that the measure has good internal consistency and low random measurement error. The Mexican-Spanish version of RAQoL could discriminate between patients who differed on their perception of disease activity, general health status, current rating of perceived RA severity and whether or not they were experiencing a disease flare. Conclusions. The Mexican-Spanish version of RAQoL was well accepted by RA patients. The psychometric quality of the adapted questionnaire shows that it is suitable for use in clinical studies and trials of patients with RA(AU)