Researchers suggest antiviral therapy is not appropriate for patients with GCA, based on their study findings and related research…... [Read More]
Varicella Zoster Virus Not Associated with Giant Cell Arteritis Pathogenesis
Search results for: Varicella zoster
Varicella Zoster Virus Downregulates Programmed Death & Promotes Inflammation
A recent study found that the varicella zoster virus downregulates expression of programmed death ligand 1 and major histocompatibility complex 1 in brain fibroblasts, perineurial cells and lung fibroblasts. These effects may lead to persistent inflammation in the vessels and lungs, as well as promote subsequent infection of T cells and the spread of the virus…... [Read More]
Varicella Zoster Virus May Cause Giant Cell Arteritis
Researchers have recently discovered a connection between the varicella zoster virus infection, which causes chicken pox and shingles, and giant cell arteritis…... [Read More]
Live Herpes Zoster Vaccine Fails to Provide Long-Term Protection in RA Patients on Tofacitinib
(Reuters Health)—The live herpes zoster vaccine does not provide reliable long-term protection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients taking tofacitinib, a recent study suggests. Current ACR guidelines conditionally recommend that patients with RA who are 50 years and older be vaccinated against herpes zoster prior to starting therapy with the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor tofacitinib or… [Read More]
Zoster Reactivation Risk in Patients Treated with Cyclophosphamide
Varicella-zoster-virus (VZV) reactivation, which can cause patients to develop herpes zoster (i.e., shingles), occurs more frequently in patients with systemic vasculitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have received intravenous cyclophosphamide than in otherwise healthy adults, according to a retrospective study published in The Journal of Rheumatology by researchers in France.1 The study also shows… [Read More]
Herpes Zoster & Tofacitinib
Shingles, also known as herpes zoster (HZ), is a common and sometimes debilitating disease that disproportionately affects elderly individuals and those who are immunocompromised. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have a 1.5–2-fold higher risk of developing HZ compared with healthy adults. Treatment with some disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) has been shown to increase this risk…. [Read More]
Herpes Zoster & the Risk of Stroke in Patients with Autoimmune Diseases
Herpes zoster (HZ) infection, also known as shingles, is caused by reactivation of latent varicella-zoster virus infection generally acquired decades earlier. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the incidence of stroke immediately following HZ infection is increased in patients with autoimmune diseases compared with the incidence of stroke at later time points. Results: In patients with autoimmune diseases, incident HZ was associated with as much as a twofold increased risk of stroke. Prompt antiviral therapy was associated with lower incidence of subsequent stroke…... [Read More]
Tofacitinib + Methotrexate: 2-Year Clinical, Radiographic & Safety Outcomes
In a 24-month clinical trial, tofacitinib proved safe and effective in combination with methotrexate in adult patients with RA…... [Read More]
Case Report: Lymphocytic Vasculitis of the Central Nervous System
Vasculitis is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases in which the blood vessel is the target of an immune reaction. They can be secondary to connective tissue disease, idiopathic or due to infection, neoplasm or drugs.1 Primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) is a rare syndrome characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration and necrosis… [Read More]
Researchers Fight Cellular Senescence, Low-Grade Inflammation
AMSTERDAM—Low-grade inflammation in older adults can impede immune responsiveness, and researchers have shed light on how this happens. They have developed a short-term treatment that blocks inflammation and boosts the immune response, an expert said at EULAR: the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology. The findings were presented in a session on cellular senescence related to… [Read More]