Syphilis, an ancient disease caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum, has been historically referred to as the great mimicker given its heterogenous presentation. Both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and syphilis can have multi-systemic involvement. Both parvovirus B19 and syphilis have been reported to cause histologic features similar to those seen in lupus nephritis. We present…
“B cells are central orchestraters of autoimmune disease by contributing to autoantibody production, antigen presentation and cytokine production,” says Georg Schett, MD, head of the Department of Medicine 3 (Rheumatology and Immunology) of the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. “B cells can be inhibited by monoclonal antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) expressing cells.” Dr. Schett…
Renal arteriosclerosis is common in patients with lupus nephritis and occurs two decades earlier than it does in people without the condition, say investigators in a study that examined the prevalence of renal arteriosclerosis in patients with lupus nephritis compared with healthy controls.1 The finding suggests that renal arteriosclerosis could be used as a biomarker…
Understanding the role of NLRP3 inflammasome activation in gout flares points to potential of NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors as a new treatment option.
Research from Papazoglou et al. highlights the substantial risk of atherosclerosis progression and incident cardiovascular events in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, as well as the importance of prolonged remission and the sustained control of cardiovascular risk factors in mitigating these risks over time.
Among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), lupus nephritis is one of the more common health problems and a leading cause of mortality. In adults with SLE, as many as five of 10 will develop kidney disease. In children with lupus, eight of 10 will develop kidney disease.1 Lupus nephritis appears to be more prevalent…
Inborn errors of immunity may not always be easy to recognize, but rheumatologists should look out for them. Dr. Bharat Kumar shares his insights.
For the 2024 Image Competition, the ACR sought images with educational or remarkable manifestations representing a diverse range of pediatric patients with autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious and malignant drivers of rheumatic disease. Here, we showcase the winning images from South Asia.
Injected abatacept may be a worthwhile treatment for certain patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM), according to recent research.1 Patients with the rare autoimmune conditions involving inflammation of muscle (myositis) and other organ systems suffer widespread organ dysfunction, increased morbidity, physical disabilities and early death. Symptoms vary by subtype. For example, dermatomyositis (DM) involves muscle…
Risk of Mortality from SLE By Ansaam Daoud, MD, Loai Dweik, MD, & Omer Pamuk, MD Why was this study done? Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with significant mortality, particularly affecting racial and ethnic minorities. This study aimed to assess national SLE mortality trends over the past two decades, stratified by…