A randomized, double-blind, phase III study assessing clinical similarity of SB17 (proposed ustekinumab biosimilar) to reference ustekinumab in subjects with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Ustekinumab (UST) is a safe and effective treatment for moderate-to-severe psoriasis. OBJECTIVES: To compare efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and immunogenicity of the proposed UST biosimilar SB17 with reference UST in subjects with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. METHODS: In this randomized double-blind study, subjects were randomized to receive 45 mg of SB17 or UST subcutaneously at week 0, 4, and every 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percent change from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index at week 12 with an equivalence margin of [-15%, 15%]. Other secondary efficacy, safety, PK, and immunogenicity endpoints were measured through week 28. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-nine subjects were randomized to SB17, 254 to UST. Adjusted difference of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index change from baseline at week 12 of -0.6% (95% confidence interval; -3.780, 2.579) was within the equivalence margin. Physician's Global Assessment and Dermatology Life Quality Index were also comparable. Overall treatment-emergent adverse events were comparable (SB17: 48.2%, UST: 48.8%). The overall incidence of antidrug antibodies up to Week 28 was 13.3% with SB17 and 39.4% with UST. LIMITATIONS: Data were only through week 28. CONCLUSION: SB17 was clinically biosimilar to UST up to week 28.

The Effectiveness of Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus casei Strains in Children with Atopic Dermatitis and Cow's Milk Protein Allergy: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Study.

Probiotics seem to have promising effects in the prevention and treatment of allergic conditions including atopic dermatitis (AD) and food allergy. The purpose of this multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of a probiotic preparation comprising Lactobacillus rhamnosus LOCK 0900, Lactobacillus rhamnosus LOCK 0908, and Lactobacillus casei LOCK 0918 in children under 2 years of age with AD and a cow's milk protein (CMP) allergy. The study enrolled 151 children, who-apart from being treated with a CMP elimination diet-were randomized to receive the probiotic preparation at a daily dose of 109 bacteria or a placebo for three months, with a subsequent nine-month follow-up. The primary outcomes included changes in AD symptom severity assessed with the scoring AD (SCORAD) index and in the proportion of children with symptom improvement (a SCORAD score decreased by at least 30% in comparison with that at baseline). After the three-month intervention, both the probiotic and placebo groups showed a significant (p < 0.0001) decrease in SCORAD scores, which was maintained nine months later. The percentage of children who showed improvement was significantly higher in the probiotic than in the placebo group (odds ratio (OR) 2.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-5.8; p = 0.012) after three months. Probiotics induced SCORAD improvement mainly in allergen sensitized patients (OR 6.03; 95% CI 1.85-19.67, p = 0.001), but this positive effect was not observed after nine months. The results showed that the mixture of probiotic LOCK strains offers benefits for children with AD and CMP allergy. Further research is necessary to assess the effect of probiotic supplementation on the development of immune tolerance (NCT04738565).

Orbital tumor as an initial manifestation of Wegener's granulomatosis in children: a series of four cases.

BACKGROUND: Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a rare idiopathic disease in which small and medium-sized arteries are affected by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation. It is associated with a triad of pulmonary (cavitating granulomatous lesions with hemoptysis, cough, and dyspnea), renal (glomerulonephritis with hematuria, proteinuria), and head (otitis media, recurrent sinusitis, eye or orbital involvement) manifestations. CASE REPORT: Four children aged 7-11 years diagnosed with WG between 1995-2008 initially presented with unilateral proptosis and ptosis due to orbital tumor. CT or MRI, orbital lesion biopsy, and laboratory tests (ERS, CRP, ANCA) were part of the diagnostic workup. The diagnoses were based on correlation between clinical presentation and diagnostic findings. All four patients had orbital lesions on contrast-enhanced CT and MRI. Two had lesions of the temporal pyramid. Orbital tumor biopsies showed granulomatous lesions in two patients, necrotizing vasculitis with leukocytoclasia in three, and an orbital pseudotumor in one. ESR and CRP were positive in all. ANCA positivity was variable (c-ANCA did not allow WG diagnosis or there were atypical ANCAs). All had blood and protein in the urine, but only one had advanced renal involvement. All were treated with oral steroid and immunosuppression; remission was successful. CONCLUSIONS: WG is often more difficult to diagnose in children than in adults due to frequent absence of its signature features. The absence of the classic triad and atypical laboratory or biopsy findings do not exclude a diagnosis of WG. Orbital demonstration helps achieve early diagnosis and treatment of this potentially fatal rheumatologic disease.

[Primary carcinoma of the thyroid growing in thyroglossal duct cyst: presentation of two cases]. / Pierwotny rak tarczycy w obrebie torbieli przewodu tarczowo-jezykowego: opis dwóch przypadków.

Thyroglossal duct remnants (TGDR), most often cysts, are the most common type of developmental abnormalities of the thyroid gland. In about 1 to 2% of TGDR neoplastic transformation occurs. Papillary carcinoma of the thyroid may be encountered in over 90% of such cases. Two cases of primary papillary carcinoma of the thyroid in TGDR in young girls are presented. The diagnostic and therapeutic problems are shared, and up-to-date management guidelines in similar cases are discussed.

Pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis in Griscelli syndrome type 2.

Griscelli syndrome type 2 (GS2) is a rare autosomal-recessive disorder associated with a RAB27A gene mutation, and clinically manifesting as hypopigmentation, disseminated chronic encephalitis, and severe immunological disorders characterized by an accelerated hematological phase, also referred to as hemophagocytic syndrome (HS), or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). The authors report the diagnosis of GS2 in an 11-year-old girl with hypopigmentation, immunodeficiency, hepatosplenomegaly, severe neurological impairments, and fatal multiorgan failure. In this patient a diagnosis of pulmonary lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LG), an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related lymphoproliferative disorder, was established from radiological and histological findings. Although EBV-related malignancies are common in immunocompromised patients, this is the first report of a diagnosis of pulmonary LG in a patient with GS2.