Performance Evaluation and Clinical Associations of Immunoassays That Detect Antibodies to Negatively Charged Phospholipids Other Than Cardiolipin.

Objectives: We evaluate the performance characteristics of antiphosphatidylserine (anti-PS), antiphosphatidylinositol (anti-PI), and antiphospholipid mixture (APhL) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) compared with anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti-β2 glycoprotein I (anti-β2GPI) in a large group of patients with antiphospholipid (aPL)-related diseases.

Methods: Serum samples from 548 patients from the Hopkins and Jamaican systemic lupus erythematosus cohorts, the PROMISSE cohort, and the Antiphospholipid Standardization Laboratory were examined for immunoglobulin G (IgG)/immunoglobulin M (IgM) positivity in aCL, anti-β2GPI, anti-PS, anti-PI, and APhL ELISA assays.

Results: All IgG assays were associated with one or more thrombotic and/or obstetric manifestations, with an increased risk associated with higher antibody titers.

A case of Candida orthopsilosis associated septic arthritis in a patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

We report a case of persistent Candida orthopsilosis associated septic arthritis. Repeated isolation of C. orthopsilosis from tissue and joint fluid was confirmed by identification of the ITS region of the rRNA gene using a Candida-Specific Luminex based assay and gene sequencing of the D1/D2 regions.

Musculoskeletal manifestations of hemoglobinopathies.

Patients with sickle cell disease often seek treatment for rapid periorbital swelling due to infarction of the orbital bones. Because of resulting orbital compression syndrome, treatment with corticosteroids and antibiotics is advisable. If spinal tuberculosis occurs in patients with sickle cell anemia, radiologic signs will be a combination of the two conditions.

HLA-DRB alleles and systemic lupus erythematosus in Jamaicans.

Background: The human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are associated with susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and manifestations of SLE in different ethnic groups.

Methods: A DNA-based HLA-typing method was used to determine alleles of HLA-DRB1, DRB3, DRB4 and DRB5 in Jamaican patients. A total of 70 patients and 100 control subjects were studied.