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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis treated with secukinumab: a case-based review.
Coskun Benlidayi, I, Kurtaran, B, Tirasci, E, Guzel, R
Rheumatology international. 2020;(10):1707-1716
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Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coranovirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become an important health-care issue worldwide. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has also raised concerns among patients with inflammatory rheumatic conditions and their treating physicians. There are emerging data regarding the potential risks of SARS-CoV-2 for this particular patient group. However, less is known with regard to the course of COVID-19 among patients receiving IL-17 inhibitors. The aim of the current article is to review the growing body of knowledge on the course/management of COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases by presenting a SARS-CoV-2 infected case with ankylosing spondylitis under secukinumab therapy. A 61-year old patient with ankylosing spondylitis who was on secukinumab therapy for 5 months admitted with newly onset fever and gastrointestinal complaints. After being hospitalized, she developed respiratory manifestations with focal pulmonary ground-glass opacities and multiple nodular densities in both lungs. The patient was tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Substantial clinical improvement was obtained following a management plan, which included tocilizumab, hydroxychloroquine, prednisolone and enoxaparin sodium. PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases were searched by using relevant keywords and their combinations. The literature search revealed four articles reporting the clinical course of COVID-19 in seven rheumatic patients on secukinumab. The clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection was mild in most of these patients, while one of them experienced severe COVID-19. Interleukin-17 has been related to the hyperinflammatory state in COVID-19 and IL-17 inhibitors were presented as promising targets for the prevention of aberrant inflammation and acute respiratory distress in COVID-19. However, this hypothesis still remains to be proved. Further studies are warranted in order to test the benefits and risks of IL-inhibitors in SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals.
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Fetal methotrexate syndrome: A systematic review of case reports.
Verberne, EA, de Haan, E, van Tintelen, JP, Lindhout, D, van Haelst, MM
Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.). 2019;:125-139
Abstract
Methotrexate is a folic acid antagonist known to be teratogenic in humans. Several cases of congenital malformations after fetal exposure to methotrexate have been published, resulting in the establishment of the 'fetal methotrexate syndrome'. However, it is unclear which congenital anomalies can truly be attributed to methotrexate exposure. The objective of this review is to delineate a consistent phenotype of the fetal methotrexate syndrome. We performed a systematic review that yielded 29 cases of (congenital) anomalies after in utero exposure to methotrexate and compared their malformation pattern to that of children and fetuses with congenital anomalies in general. Statistically significant higher proportions of microcephaly, craniosynostosis, tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary valve atresia, limb reduction defects and syndactyly were found in the methotrexate group, indicating that these congenital anomalies are truly part of the fetal methotrexate syndrome. These results aid clinicians with diagnosing fetal methotrexate syndrome.
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Targeting Acquired Hemophilia A with Rheumatoid Arthritis by a Rituximab Shot: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
Ghozlani, I, Mounach, A, Ghazi, M, Kherrab, A, Niamane, R
The American journal of case reports. 2018;:582-588
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acquired hemophilia A (AH) is a rare hemorrhagic diathesis, characterized by the presence of autoantibodies directed against the pro-coagulant activity of factor VIII. It is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 4% to 8% of cases and its prognosis remains severe. CASE REPORT A 66-year-old patient has been followed up for 20 years for deforming and severe RA, which was in low-disease activity. However, the patient presented a polyarticular flare involving the metacarpophalangeal and the proximal interphalangeal joints, the left elbow, and the right knee, which was warm and swollen. Articular puncture of this knee yielded a hematic fluid that did not coagulate. Its cytological analysis showed significant presence of red blood cells, which were also abundantly present in the other cell lines. Activated partial thromboplastin time was lengthened and not corrected by the addition of control plasma. Prothrombin time (Quick's test), fibrinogen level, and vitamin K-dependent factors were without abnormalities. In contrast, factor VIII was collapsed at 7% and the anti-factor VIII antibody was positive. The diagnosis of AH with anti-factor VIII inhibitor was thus retained. With regard to RA, the Disease Activity Score was 6.32 and exhibited a very active RA. Rituximab with methotrexate was begun and the evolution was favorable. After 6 months, the reappearance of the anti-factor VIII inhibitor was found, thus justifying a second cycle of rituximab. CONCLUSIONS AH is not exceptional in RA. Rituximab remains a relevant alternative for managing simultaneous AH with inhibitor and RA.
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Relapsing polychondritis associated with psoriasis vulgaris successfully treated with adalimumab: A case report with published work review.
Matsuo, H, Asahina, A, Fukuda, T, Umezawa, Y, Nakagawa, H
The Journal of dermatology. 2017;(7):826-829
Abstract
Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare autoimmune-mediated disease characterized by inflammation involving cartilaginous tissues. We report here a case of RP in a 38-year-old Japanese man with 13-year duration of psoriasis vulgaris treated with topical steroids and vitamin D3 . The patient presented with tender swelling and erythema of both auricles, and the antibody to type II collagen was detected. The biopsy specimen revealed a dense mixed cell infiltration over the auricular cartilage. We reviewed eight cases with the association of RP and psoriasis, and in all cases the clinical course of psoriasis did not correlate with that of RP. The severity of RP was mild in the majority of cases, and our case was unique in that the patient had no joint symptoms. Adalimumab treatment was effective for both RP and psoriasis. Fat-suppressed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was beneficial, not only to demonstrate subclinical inflammation in the nasal septum, but also to subjectively assess the improvement of RP.
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Hydroxychloroquine retinopathy after short-term therapy.
Phillips, BN, Chun, DW
Retinal cases & brief reports. 2014;(1):67-9
Abstract
PURPOSE To report an unusual case of hydroxychloroquine toxicity after short-term therapy. METHODS Observational case report. RESULTS A 56-year-old woman presented to the Ophthalmology Clinic at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) with a 6-month history of gradually decreasing vision in both eyes. The patient had been taking hydroxychloroquine for the preceding 48 months for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Examination of the posterior segment revealed bilateral "bull's eye" macular lesions. Fundus autofluorescence revealed hyperfluorescence of well-defined bull's eye lesions in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography revealed corresponding parafoveal atrophy with a loss of the retinal inner segment/outer segment junction. Humphrey visual field 10-2 white showed significant central and paracentral defects with a generalized depression. The patient was on a standard dose of 400 mg daily, which was above her ideal dose. The patient had no history of kidney or liver dysfunction. There were no known risk factors but there were several possible confounding factors. The patient was started on high-dose nabumetone, a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, at the same time she was started on hydroxychloroquine. She also reported taking occasional ibuprofen. CONCLUSION Retinal toxicity from chloroquine has been recognized for decades with later reports showing retinopathy from long-term hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) use for the treatment of antiinflammatory diseases. Hydroxychloroquine is now widely used and retinal toxicity is relatively uncommon. However, it can cause serious vision loss and is usually irreversible. The risk of hydroxychloroquine toxicity rises to nearly 1% with a total cumulative dose of 1,000 g, which is ∼5 years to 7 years of normal use. Toxicity is rare under this dose. For this reason, the American Academy of Ophthalmology has revised its recommendations such that annual screenings begin 5 years after therapy with hydroxychloroquine has begun unless there are known risk factors. This case report confirms the need for a baseline examination and annual ophthalmologic screening for patients taking hydroxychloroquine at a dose higher than the recommended dosage. It is also reasonable to consider annual examinations in patients taking high-dose nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs from the initiation of the medication.