Incidence, risk factors, and mortality of neonatal and late-onset dilated cardiomyopathy associated with cardiac neonatal lupus.

Background: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a well-known complication of cardiac neonatal lupus, is associated with high mortality rate. Its risk factors remain unclear.

Methods: We analyzed occurrence of postnatal DCM among children with high-degree congenital heart block (CHB) and mothers with anti-SSA and/or anti-SSB antibodies.

Description of 214 cases of autoimmune congenital heart block: Results of the French neonatal lupus syndrome.

Background: Cardiac neonatal lupus syndrome is due to anti-SSA or SSB antibodies and mainly includes congenital heart block (CHB) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Its optimal management is still debated. We report a large series of autoimmune high degree CHB.

Chronic histiocytic intervillositis: outcome, associated diseases and treatment in a multicenter prospective study.

Unlabelled: Introduction: In this prospective multicenter study, we aimed to describe (1) the outcome of pregnancy in the case of previous chronic histiocytic intervillositis (CHI), (2) the immunological findings and associated diseases, (3) the treatments, and (4) the factors associated with pregnancy loss.

Methods: We prospectively included all patients with a prior CHI with ongoing pregnancy between 2011 and 2013.

Results: Twenty-four women (age 34±5 years) were included in this study.

When biologics should be used in systemic lupus erythematosus?

Recently, the use and evaluation of biologics increased in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, no international recommendation is available concerning the use of biologics with regards to the subset of patients who should be treated, the optimal time to treat, the objective of treatment and the manner to discontinue it. To address these complex questions, we focused on biologics already evaluated in at least two published randomized controlled trials.

Classification criteria and treatment modalities in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome is a systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by a lymphocytic exocrinopathy. Oral and ocular dryness, asthenia and pain represent hallmarks of the disease. Systemic manifestations concern a third of patients, including lymphoma in 5% of the patients.

Chronic meningococcaemia and immunoglobulin A deficiency.

Chronic meningococcaemia is an unusual clinical presentation of Neisseria meningitidis infection. We describe the case of a patient, who presented with total IgA deficiency and partial IgM deficiency with a low switched memory B cells count, suggestive of a borderline form of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). The role of IgA in the protection against Neisseria meningitidis, and the link between IgA deficiency and CVID are discussed.