[Efficacy and safety of combination therapy with mizoribine and methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis resistant with methotrexate].

Background. MZB is a purine analog, and is used as a disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD). We conducted an open label uncontrolled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with methotrexate (MTX) and mizoribine (MZB).

Activation of the interferon pathway in peripheral blood of patients with Sjogren's syndrome.

Objective: DNA microarray analysis and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed to identify key target genes in peripheral blood from patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Methods: DNA microarray analysis was performed in 19 patients with SS (all women) and 10 healthy controls (5 men and 5 women) using a low-density DNA microarray system with 778 genes. For confirmation, the expression of upregulated genes was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR in another 37 SS patients (35 women and 2 men) and 9 healthy controls (8 women and 1 man).

[Investigation of the clinical usefullness of leukocytapheresis on rheumatoid arthritis resistant to or failed with the other treatments].

Purpose: To examine therapeutic effect of leukocytapheresis (LCAP) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) resistant to various treatments.

Method: Thirteen patients with RA (mean age : 60.8+/-11.

[The efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil for systemic lupus erythematosus].

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is usually treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents. However, some patients are refractory to these agents, others show adverse effects. Usefulness of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in SLE has been reported in several studies.

[Study of procedure of labial salivary gland biopsy in Sjögren's syndrome].

Minor salivary gland biopsy is useful for diagnosis of Sjögren's Syndrome, because it has 87.4% of sensitivity, 87.3% of specificity and 87.