Clinical spectrum, outcome and management of immune thrombocytopenia associated with myelodysplastic syndromes and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) are associated with systemic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases in 10-20 % of cases. Among them, immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) has been reported but large studies assessing this association are missing. Whether such patients have a particular phenotype and require particular management is unclear.

Vasculitis associated with myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic myelomonocytic leukemia: French multicenter case-control study.

Introduction: Our objective was to evaluate characteristics, treatment and outcome of vasculitis associated with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and chronic myelomonicytic leukemia (CMML) PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective descriptive analysis of MDS/CMML-related vasculitis and comparison with MDS/CMML patients without dysimmune features.

Results: Seventy patients with vasculitis and MDS/CMML were included, with median age of 71.5 [21-90] years and male/female ratio of 2.

Association between Takayasu arteritis and ischemic heart disease: a cohort study.

Purpose Of The Study: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is an idiopathic large vessel vasculitis, which involves the aorta and its major branches. Our aim was to examine the association between TA and the development of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and its impact on survival.

Study Design: Using data from Clalit Health Services (CHS), the largest Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) in Israel, the proportion of IHD was compared between patients diagnosed with TA and age- and gender-matched controls.

Giant-cell arteritis associated with myelodysplastic syndrome: French multicenter case control study and literature review.

Introduction: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) can be associated with giant cell arteritis (GCA). In this nationwide study by the "French Network of dysimmune disorders associated with hemopathies" (MINHEMON) the objective was to evaluate characteristics, treatment and outcome of GCA MDS-MDS/MPN.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients that presented a MDS or MDS/MPN associated with GCA.

The long-term prognostic significance of sarcoidosis-associated pulmonary hypertension - A cohort study.

Background: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem, chronic, progressive, granulomatous disease. Sarcoidosis-associated pulmonary hypertension is a well described, but not common, complication of sarcoidosis. In small scale studies, it has been previously described as manifestation of advanced disease and was found to be associated increased morbidity and mortality.

Thyroid Autoimmunity and Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Not Such a Trivial Association.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease that manifests as recurrent venous or arterial thrombosis and/or pregnancy-related complications in the presence of persistent antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies measured at least 3 months apart. APS occurs either as a primary condition or as a part of an underlying disorder, usually systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Otherwise, APS may be frequently associated with autoimmune disorders.

Biologics in myelodysplastic syndrome-related systemic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases: French multicenter retrospective study of 29 patients.

Background: Systemic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases (SIADs) associated with myelodysplastic syndromes are often difficult to treat. Corticosteroids are efficient but only usually at high doses. The use of biologics needs to be specified.

Smoking and obesity in systemic lupus erythematosus: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Both smoking and obesity have been demonstrated as risk factors in several autoimmune diseases. Little is known about the relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and both smoking and obesity.

Objectives: To investigate the association between SLE, tobacco consumption and body mass index (BMI).

Smoke and autoimmunity: The fire behind the disease.

The association between smoke habit and autoimmunity has been hypothesized a long time ago. Smoke has been found to play a pathogenic role in certain autoimmune disease as it may trigger the development of autoantibodies and act on pathogenic mechanism possibly related with an imbalance of the immune system. Indeed, both epidemiological studies and animal models have showed the potential deleterious effect caused by smoke.

[Of worms and men--Administration of helminth products as an innovative approach to treatment of autoimmune diseases].

In areas where helminth infections are common, there is a low prevalence of autoimmune diseases. This observation gave rise to the hygiene hypothesis, claiming that certain organisms which were abundant in the human microenvironment hold an immunoregulatory and immunosuppressive effect, therefore, their eradication led to an increase in immune mediated diseases. This hypothesis laid the foundation for several directions of research which demonstrated an immunosuppressive and immunoregulatory effect of helminths on both the acquired and the innate immune systems.

Unraveling the Hygiene Hypothesis of helminthes and autoimmunity: origins, pathophysiology, and clinical applications.

Background: The Hygiene Hypothesis (HH) attributes the dramatic increase in autoimmune and allergic diseases observed in recent decades in Western countries to the reduced exposure to diverse immunoregulatory infectious agents. This theory has since largely been supported by strong epidemiological and experimental evidence.

Discussion: The analysis of these data along with the evolution of the Western world's microbiome enable us to obtain greater insight into microorganisms involved in the HH, as well as their regulatory mechanisms on the immune system.

Successful modulation of murine lupus nephritis with tuftsin-phosphorylcholine.

In areas where helminths infections are common, autoimmune diseases are rare. Treatment with helminths and ova from helminths, improved clinical findings of inflammatory bowel disease, multiple-sclerosis and rheumatoid-arthritis. The immunomodulatory functions of some helminths were attributed to the phosphorylcholine (PC) moiety.

Treating prolactinoma can prevent autoimmune diseases.

Prolactin (PRL) is a pleiotropic hormone; in addition to a wide variety of endocrine effects, PRL also exhibits immunostimulating effects. Therefore, there is increasing evidence linking PRL with a large number of systemic and organ specific autoimmune diseases. Herein, we report the case of an adolescent girl diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) occurring in the context of untreated prolactinoma evolving since childhood.

Obesity in autoimmune diseases: not a passive bystander.

In the last decades, autoimmune diseases have experienced a dramatic increase in Western countries. The involvement of environmental factors is strongly suspected to explain this rise. Particularly, over the same period, obesity has followed the same outbreak.

[Erdheim-Chester disease: radiological findings].

Context: Erdheim-Chester disease is a rare non-Langerhans form of histiocytosis. For the past years, the disease has been reported with an increasing frequency, linked to a better knowledge of it's radiological pattern. Indead, it shows specific imaging appearances, that should be recognized.