Rheumatoid Arthritis: Malagari K

Antoniou KM, Mamoulaki M, Malagari K, Kritikos HD, Bouros D, Siafakas NM, Boumpas DT. · Department of Thoracic Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University Hospital, Medical School, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, Greece. · Clin Exp Rheumatol. · Pubmed #17417986 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To study the potential effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-alpha) inhibitor treatment for pulmonary fibrosis associated with a collagen vascular disease, CVD (rheumatoid arthritis, RA and systemic sclerosis, SSc) refractory to conventional treatment. METHODS: Four patients (three men with RA, one woman with SSc) were treated with infliximab. All patients received 3mg/kgr of infliximab at intervals 0, 2 and 6 weeks, and then maintenance infusions every 8 weeks afterwards for at least a 12-month period. Patients had active disease despite treatment with corticosteroids and other immunomodulatory agents. RESULTS: Treatment was well-tolerated from all patients. Pulmonary fibrosis remained stable during treatment in terms of symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) appearance. As expected, a clinical response was observed in joint symptoms in patients with RA as evaluated by the DAS28 (Disease Activity Score, the 28 joint version). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that inhibition of TNF-alpha with infliximab may stabilize the progression of pulmonary fibrosis associated with CVD. Prospective, controlled trials are necessary to determine the efficacy of infliximab in pulmonary fibrosis associated CVD.

Papiris SA, Kalomenidis I, Malagari K, Kapotsis GE, Harhalakis N, Manali ED, Rontogianni D, Roussos C, Moutsopoulos HM. · 2nd Pulmonary Department, Attikon University Hospital, 1 Rimini Street, 12462 Haidari, Athens, Greece. · Respir Med. · Pubmed #16735112 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSs) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease that may express in a small number of patients a spectrum of lymphoproliferative diseases. The aim of this study was to describe clinical, imaging and pathology features of the extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZCL) of the lung of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type in patients with pSs. METHODS: All patients (N=10) with biopsy proven MZCL of the lung of MALT type diagnosed in a tertiary teaching hospital during the last 7 years were studied. RESULTS: Seven patients had pSs. Almost all patients presented an indolent clinical course, contrasting strongly with the spectacular radiological findings in both chest roentgenograms and computed tomography. Pathology infiltration patterns observed were either nodular, peribronchial-perivascular, alveolar, or interstitial. Immunohistochemical study in all cases showed B cell phenotypes. Immunoglobulin light chain restriction was demonstrated in all patients. Monoclonal IgM(kappa) was evident in 5/7, IgM(lambda) in 1/7 and IgG (kappa) in 1/7 of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Lung MZCL associated with pSs are characterized by an important dissociation between clinical expression and radiological pattern. Clinical presentation and imaging features are not specific. Therefore, histologic documentation is mandatory to ensure diagnosis. Various chemotherapeutic agents in combination with rituximab lead to partial or complete remission in the majority of patients.