Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and progression of scleroderma interstitial lung disease.

Introduction: So far no clinical or experimental evidences clearly explain how and which systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients will experience a functional and radiological progression of interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate whether any bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) characteristic, compared with clinical, functional and radiological parameters, is associated with the risk of progression of ILD and worse survival in SSc patients.

Methods: Lung involvement was evaluated in 110 consecutively examined SSc patients with pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT); 73 patients with evidence of ILD on HRCT underwent BAL.

Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis in rheumatoid arthritis responsive to etanercept.

Interstitial granulomatous dermatitis (IGD) is a rare dermatological condition presenting as erythematous plaques. It may be associated with drug-related adverse reactions and autoimmune diseases. Recent cases of IGD have been reported in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with biologic agents.

Delayed neutrophil apoptosis in patients with unstable angina: relation to C-reactive protein and recurrence of instability.

Aims: To investigate spontaneous polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) apoptosis in unstable angina (UA) and its association with recurrence of instability.

Methods And Results: We compared PMNs apoptotic rate at 4 and 24 h in patients with UA, stable angina (SA), and controls (H) with two different protocols by flow cytometry. We measured apoptotic rate of isolated PMNs (Protocol 1) in 30 UA patients, 13 SA patients, and 34 H; and apoptosis of PMNs in whole blood culture (Protocol 2) in further 10 UA patients, 7 SA patients, and 6 H.

Skin ulcers in systemic sclerosis: determinants of presence and predictive factors of healing.

Background: Skin ulcers are common vascular complications of systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify clinical, biologic, and imaging parameters that constitute risk factors for the occurrence and persistence of skin ulcers.

Methods: One hundred thirty Italian SSc patients were examined at entry and after 20 months of follow-up.

Unusual CD4+CD28null T lymphocytes and recurrence of acute coronary events.

Objectives: We hypothesized that the expansion of unusual T lymphocytes, CD4+CD28null T cells, might represent a key pathogenetic mechanism of recurrent instability.

Background: Clinical presentation of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is variable. Some patients have recurrent episodes of instability, despite optimal treatment, whereas others have a single acute event in their life.

Persistent activation of nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway in patients with unstable angina and elevated levels of C-reactive protein evidence for a direct proinflammatory effect of azide and lipopolysaccharide-free C-reactive protein on human monocytes via nuclear factor kappa-B activation.

Objectives: Our study investigated: 1) the contribution of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway to the enhanced inflammatory response observed in unstable angina (UA) patients with elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP); and 2) whether CRP may have direct proinflammatory effects via NF-kappaB activation.

Background: Unstable angina patients with elevated CRP have enhanced inflammatory response and increased risk of persistent instability, myocardial infarction, and death.

Methods: We studied 28 patients with history of UA and persistently elevated CRP (>3 mg/l) followed for 24 months and free of symptoms for at least 6 months (group 1), 14 patients with history of UA and low CRP (group 2), and 24 patients with chronic stable angina and low CRP (group 3).

Intralobar pulmonary sequestration in an elderly adult.

The case of a patient admitted to the hospital for symptoms characterized by chest pain, productive cough, fever, dyspnea resistant to antibiotic therapy is discussed. Previous plain chest X-ray performed elsewhere was suggestive of inflammotory lung consolidation. An admission chest X-ray revealed a left lower lobe density.