Requirement for vitamin D supplementation in patients using photoprotection: variations in vitamin D levels and bone formation markers.

Background: Avoiding sun exposure is obligatory in photodermatoses; however, the need for oral supplementation with vitamin D appears unrecognized. The aim of the study was to investigate the seasonal variation of vitamin D level and bone formation markers in healthy individuals and to compare it with vitamin D status in patients using photoprotection.

Methods: Thirty-four healthy inhabitants of the Lodz region, Poland, a country in central Europe (51° and 52° north latitudes), were examined at the baseline visit within 2 weeks of peak sun exposure during recreational activity on vacation, after 8, and after 16 weeks.

Feasibility of measurement of bone turnover markers in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of bone turnover markers (BTMs) for the assessment of bone metabolism in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to the guidelines of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Methods: The study included 43 female SLE patients. Serum procollagen type I N propeptide (PINP), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), osteocalcin, PTH, 25(OH)D, anti-cardiolipin, anti-dsDNA, and anti-nucleosome levels were measured.

Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery in assessment of cognitive parameters in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in relation to autoantibody profile.

Objectives: To relate the cognitive parameters of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in remission to their profile of autoantibodies.

Material And Methods: The study included 32 patients with SLE in remission, with mild disease activity as indicated by SELENA-SLEDAI < 6. For neuropsychological assessment, the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) was applied, using motor screening (MOT), big little circle (BLC), paired associated learning (PAL), stockings of Cambridge (SOC), and graded naming tests (GNT).

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with type II cryoglobulinemia.

Objectives: Type II cryoglobulinemia is a common extrahepatic manifestation of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The mechanisms behind its development are unclear, but could be related to direct infection of the immune cells.

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 18 patients with type II cryoglobulinemia were separated into CD3+ (T cells), CD19+ (B cells) and CD14+ (monocytes) and analyzed for the presence of negative strand HCV RNA, which is a viral replicative intermediate, and for the presence of HCV non-structural protein 3 (NS3).

[Prevalence of autoantibodies directed against 1,25(OH)2D3 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus].

Unlabelled: In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients photosensitivity is considered as a factor which may cause exacerbation of skin lesions and provoke organ damage. Therefore in all therapeutic standards photo protection is recommended which may diminish vitamin D synthesis. Because of the enhanced activity of the humoral immunity which is present in the course of disease one postulates the possibility of the production of antibodies directed against vitamin D, that would be able to intensify this deficiency independently from consequences of photoprotection.

Clinical manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus in patients with antiribosomal P protein antibodies.

Introduction: Antibodies against ribosomal P protein (anti-P) are detected predominantly in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the data on their frequency and clinical relevance remain inconclusive.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the frequency as well as clinical and serological relevance of anti-P autoantibodies in Polish patients with SLE and to determine the significance of these antibodies in the diagnosis of SLE.

Anti-influenza vaccination in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: an analysis of specific humoral response and vaccination safety.

The objective of this study is to evaluate efficacy and safety of influenza vaccine in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. We studied SLE patients and healthy subjects immunised with inactivated influenza vaccine. Efficacy was measured by comparing humoral response to vaccine antigens between groups.

PTPN22/LYP 1858C>T gene polymorphism and susceptibility to endometriosis in a Polish population.

Endometriosis is a common gynaecological disorder due to ectopic implantation of endometrial tissue. It is manifested by pelvic inflammation and abrogation of cell-mediated immunity and may be also characterised by autoantibody production, thus suggesting that endometriosis might be an autoimmune disorder. Genetic factors also play a role in the aetiopathogenesis of this disease.

[Infections and antiphospholipid syndrome].

In the presented paper the author discusses the association of antiphospholipid and anticofator antibodies appearance in the sera in a variety of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections coinciding with some antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) clinical manifestations or full manifested APS, including so called catastrophic APS.

Perceived work-related stress and early atherosclerotic changes in healthy employees.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between perceived work-related stress and preclinical atherosclerosis.

Methods: A total of 100 managers and 50 office workers aged 35-65 participated in a questionnaire study. Individual, family and work-related stress risk factors and coping were evaluated in all the studied individuals.

[Symptoms and signs of polymositis, systematic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome follow consecutively].

Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are very rare connective tissue disorders which only in exceptional circumstances affect white men. The present paper describes the case of an obese 55-years-old man in whom no muscular-skeletal system symptoms were found during the period of 2 years before the onset of arthritis, and who was treated because of cardiac involvement (pericarditis, PAF), pleuritis, malaise and fever. Only the occurrence of non erosive arthritis decided on the connective tissue disorder as a cause of his complaints.

[Antinucleolar antibodies in diagnostics of antiphospholipid syndrome].

Introduction: Anti "nucleolar" antibodies are estimated to be present in about 5-10% of anti-nuclear antibodies-positive (ANA), but only in about 15% of cases (sometimes in lower percentages) it is possible to assess precisely the specificity of antibodies responsible for this pattern of ANA. Nucleoli are composed of many proteins, e.g.

[Presence of anticardiolipin antibodies in cryoglobulins isolated from sera of hepatitis C virus infected patients].

Introduction: Most extrahepatic manifestations of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are connected with influence of virus on the host's immune system. An important part of immunologic disturbances in chronic infections is the presence of circulating immune complexes. Standard serologic methods are not applicable in analysis of complexes composition.

[The occurrence of anticardiolipin antibodies bound in circulating immunological complexes in sera of patients suffering from juvenile lupus erythematosus and juvenile idiopathic arthritis].

Background: The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APA), especially anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA), antibodies against beta2-glikoprotein I and lupus anticoagulant leads to thrombotic disorders. The pathogenetic role of APA in children is not exactly explained. The frequency of occurrence of APA and antiphospholipid syndrom in children is 2 to 3 times lower than in adults.

[Lyme carditis--a bitter lesson or a delayed diagnostic success--a case report].

Lyme carditis is a well known disorder; however, its diagnosis still remains a challenge because of varied clinical picture, low incidence rate and difficulties in detection of the aetiological agent (Borrelia burgdorferi). We report a case of a 60-year-old man with a 2.5-year history of dilated cardiomyopathy, recurring episodes of acute heart failure and arrhythmias which finally were diagnosed as Lyme carditis.

[Preliminary data concerning cross-reacting anticardiolipin antibodies as potential inhibiting endotoxin activity factors].

In analyzed synovial fluids, suspected for endotoxin presence, the presence of endotoxin done was proved by LAL-test in 21 synovial fluids /42%/ and in 12 of 20 /60%/ the presence of endotoxin inhibiting substances /IS/ was proved. Because many parameters /like presence CIC, anti-LPS, KDO/ indicates that in the group of LAL-negative /IS/ - positive synovial fluids the presence of endotoxin is very possible, IS have been removed /by heating to 100 degrees C/ and after that the endotoxin activity was shown in about 27% of synovial fluids. Additional analysis of the Cohn fraction /prepared by ammonium sulfate precipitation/ confirmed the presence in the gamma and alpha and beta fractions a weak IS activity /in a dose dependent manner.

[Inhibition of cardiolipin binding antibodies from synovial fluids of patients with arthritis by endotoxin].

In the presented study was prooven that aCl antibodies cross-reacting with LPS (endotoxin) from arthritic synovial fluids are part of the aPL antibodies pool and correlated with presence in joints bacterial cell wall components like LPS-showing endotoxin presence in synovial fluids and they may be usefull in differential diagnosis of the different kind of arthritis and also in explanation of their aetiology at all--especially in cases of early, undifferentiated arthritis.

[Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) primary (PAPS) and secondary (SAPS)].

Background: During the last decade, a wide variety of clinical manifestations and serological disturbances have been described associated to APS. However the real prevalence of most clinical manifestations with several autoantibody-cofactor systems still needs precise epidemiological and clinical long-term study.

Objective: Evaluation of frequency clinical and serological symptoms of SLE and APS in PAPS and SAPS pts.

[Preliminary studies on presence of antineuronal antibodies in serum of patients with Lyme borreliosis].

Wide spectrum of autoantibodies reactive against neuronal antigens was detected in sera of 32 of 50 studied patients with Lyme borreliosis. This may be potentially of importance in the pathogenesis of neuroborreliosis.

Clinical features and prognosis of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and anti-Jo-1 antibodies.

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are a heterogeneous group of diseases that can involve various systems. Antibodies directed against aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, such as anti-Jo-1 antibodies, are strongly associated with a syndrome which consists of myositis, interstitial lung disease (ILD), arthritis and Raynaud's phenomenon. Forty-one patients with various forms of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies were assessed: 14 patients with anti-Jo-1 antibodies and 27 patients without anti-Jo-1 antibodies as a control group.

[New markers of autoimmunity against joints and salivary glands in HCV infected patients].

Objective: In 35 HCV infected patients with arthralgia and myalgia prevalence of anti-fodrin antibodies and anti-flilagrin antibodies was estimated--in comparison with other immunologic markers (ANA, krioglobulinemia, CCI, RF, anti-SSA) and clinical symptoms.

Results: Anti-filagrin antibodies were fund in one case. Anti-fodrin Ab--in two cases.

[Assessment methods of autoantibodies in autoimmune diseases].

In most of the autoimmune diseases, a humoral and cellular immune response is characteristically seen, with autoantibodies and cells directed to distinct intracellular antigens. This phenomenon can be shown in systemic diseases like sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjogren's syndrome, mixed connective tissue disease, polymyositis and rheumatoid arthritis. It is also evident that autoantibodies are present in many the autoimmune diseases (called organ-specific) like for example Hashimoto, Graves-Basedow or Addison disease.