Anti-hnRNP B1 (RA33) autoantibodies are associated with the clinical phenotype in Russian patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are potent autoantigenic targets in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). Loss of tolerance to the RA33 complex consisting of hnRNP A2 and its alternatively spliced variants B1 and B2 has been the interest of rheumatologists. A novel ELISA for the detection of anti-hnRNP B1 autoantibodies has been developed to investigate the prevalence thereof in 397 patients with SARD, including patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthropathy (SPA), juvenile chronic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), and Sjögren's syndrome (SS), in comparison to 174 controls.

C1-esterase inhibitor infusion increases survival rates for patients with sepsis*.

Objectives: Systemic inflammatory response variability displays differing degrees of organ damage and differing outcomes of sepsis. C1-esterase inhibitor, an endogenous acute-phase protein, regulates various inflammatory and anti-inflammatory pathways, including the kallikrein-kinin system and leukocyte activity. This study assesses the influence of high-dose C1-esterase inhibitor administration on systemic inflammatory response and survival in patients with sepsis.

Circulating cytokines as markers of systemic inflammatory response in severe community-acquired pneumonia.

Objectives: To assess the influence of empirical antibacterial therapy on systemic inflammatory response in patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Material And Methods: Thirty consecutive patients with CAP meeting systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) criteria were recruited into this study. Blood samples for measurement of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were drawn on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10.