Rheumatoid Arthritis: Stefanović D

Mandić D, Curcić R, Radosavljević G, Damjanov N, Stefanović D, Mitić I, Dimić A. · No affiliation provided · Srp Arh Celok Lek. · Pubmed #19459572 No free full text.

Abstract: Patients with an autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, uveitis or psoriasis, and treated with the anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha inhibitors are at high risk of developing various infections including tuberculosis (TB). Serious infections are the result of the patients' immunocompromised status that is caused by the primary disease itself, as well as by previous immunosuppressive therapy. In order to decrease the risk of developing TB, prior to the introduction of the anti-TNF alpha therapy, all patients should undergo screening for TB. Experiences from the countries that have already implemented recommendations for TB screening show a significant decrease in TB occurrence in the anti-TNF alpha treated patients. The PPD skin test result is considered positive if in duration is of size > or =5 mm. The BCG vaccine applied at birth has no effect on interpretation of PPD test results in adults. The diagnosis of active TB is contraindicated for the introduction of the anti-TNF alpha therapy; first, such patients should receive the TB treatment; and 6 months after the completion of the TB treatment, the introduction of the anti-TNF alpha therapy may be considered. The patients with the diagnosis of the latent TB infection (LTBI) should not immediately start with the anti-TNF alpha therapy, but they should first receive the TB chemoprophylaxis; not earlier than a month upon the introduction of the TB chemoprophylaxis, the anti-TNF alpha therapy may be introduced. The first TB follow-up screening during the anti-TNF alpha therapy is recommended 6 months after the anti-TNF alpha therapy has been introduced and the next one should be scheduled after 12 months.

Dugonjić S, Ajdinović B, Stefanović D, Jauković L. · Vojnomedicinska akademija, Institut za nuklearnu medicinu, Beograd, Srbija. · Vojnosanit Pregl. · Pubmed #18368937 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIM: Beside many actual groups of classification criteria, uniform classification criteria for Sjögren's syndrome (SS) are still missing. The ophtalmic component of SS is well defined. Criteria for classifying its oral component remain controversial. The fifth item of the European Union and the United States of America (EU-US) revised diagnostic classification criteria in 2002, is an objective evidence of xerostomia, diagnosed by one of the tests: unstimulated whole sialometry (UWS), parotid sialography, and dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy (DSGS). The aim of this study was to evaluate senstitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and accuracy of DSGS with ascorbic acid stimulation in detecting xerostomia in SS patients and to compare DSGS findings with UWS values. METHODS: Tests DSGS and UWS were done in 20 patients with SS and in 10 of the control subjects. The findings of DSGS were graded from 1 to 4 scintigraphie (SCT) grade 1--normal finding; SCT grade 2--moderate function damage; SCT grade 3--serious function damage, SCT grade 4--very serious function damage. UWS measured 1.5 hour after the breakfast lasted 15 minutes. UWS bellow 2.5 ml/15min min. considered pathological. RESULTS: All SS patients had pathological SCT findings. Comparing SCT grade between the patients and the control group, high statistical significance was found (p < 0.001). The estimated sensitivity of DSGS was 100%, specificity 80%, positive predictive value 91%, negative predictive value 100% and accuracy 93%. The calculated sensitivity of UWS was 75%. Salivary function damage detected by scintigraphy was in positive correlation with UWS findings. CONCLUSION: DSGS is a diagnostic test with high sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive and negative predictive values in detecting salivary function damage in SS patients. DSGS and UWS are very sensitive diagnostic tests for objective evidence of xerostomia, and have to be ones of the earliest investigations which shoud be performed in subjects suspected of SS. Test DSGS is more sensitive, and seems to better reflect symptoms of dry mouth than UWS.

Jovelić A, Stefanović D. · Vojnomedicinska akademija, Klinika za reumatologiju i klinicku imunologiju, Beograd, Srbija i Crna Gora. · Vojnosanit Pregl. · Pubmed #16305106 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: One half of the patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome has extraglandular manifestations, including renal involvement. The most frequent renal lesion is tubulo-interstitial nephritis, which manifests clinically as distal tubular acidosis and may result in the development of osteomalacia. CASE REPORT: In a 29-year-old female patient, with bilateral nephrolithiasis, the diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome, tubulo-interstitial nephritis, distal renal tubular acidosis, and hypokalemia were established. She was treated for hypokalemia. Two years later she developed bone pains and muscle weakness, she wasn't able to walk, her proximal muscles and pelvic bones were painful, with radiological signs of pelvic bones osteopenia and pubic bones fractures. The diagnosis of osteomalacia was established and the treatment started with Schol's solution, vitamin D and calcium. In the following two months, acidosis was corrected, and the patient started walking. CONCLUSION: In our patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome and interstitial nephritis, osteomalacia was a result of the long time decompensate acidosis, so the correction of acidosis, and the supplementation of vitamin D and calcium were the integral part of the therapy.