Thrombin generation assay: interactions between chronic inflammation and haemostasis in patients with autoimmune diseases.

Objectives: Growing evidences show a direct link between inflammation and activation of haemostasis. That could increase thrombotic and cardiovascular risk in patients with active autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of this study was to evaluate a possible hypercoagulable condition in RA and SSc patients, using the thrombin generation assay (TGA).

Systemic AA amyloidosis as a unique manifestation of a combined mutation of TNFRSF1A and MEFV genes.

We report the case of a 22-year-old Caucasian woman presenting with a new-onset nephrotic syndrome with normal renal function during the 35th week of pregnancy. AA (secondary) amyloidosis was further diagnosed at the renal biopsy. Extensive genetic testing revealed that the patient was heterozygous for both TNFRSF1A p.

The role of nail-videocapillaroscopy in early diagnosis of scleroderma.

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is a clinical sign of precocious abnormal microcirculation and can be considered a major risk factor for the development of connective tissue disease, especially systemic sclerosis (SSc). Nailfold videocapillaroscopy is the most valuable tool for the early diagnosis of SSc and related disorders. It allows classification of capillary abnormalities.