Outcomes following immunosuppressive therapy withdrawal after complete renal response in proliferative lupus nephritis.

Objective: To investigate the rate and factors influencing renal relapse (RR) in proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) patients who discontinued immunosuppressive therapy (IST), as well as the long-term renal outcomes following RR.

Methods: Retrospective, single-centre study of biopsy-confirmed LN patients who had received IST for at least 36 months and maintained complete renal response (CRR) for a minimum of 12 months before therapy discontinuation.

Results: Of a total of 106 patients meeting the inclusion criteria, 76 with proliferative classes were selected for analysis.

Methylprednisolone Pulses Plus Tacrolimus in Addition to Standard of Care vs. Standard of Care Alone in Patients With Severe COVID-19. A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Severe lung injury is triggered by both the SARS-CoV-2 infection and the subsequent host-immune response in some COVID-19 patients. We conducted a randomized, single-center, open-label, phase II trial with the aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of methylprednisolone pulses and tacrolimus plus standard of care (SoC) vs. SoC alone, in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19.

Beneficial effect of corticosteroids in preventing mortality in patients receiving tocilizumab to treat severe COVID-19 illness.

Objectives: To assess the characteristics and risk factors for mortality in patients with severe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) treated with tocilizumab (TCZ), alone or in combination with corticosteroids (CS).

Methods: From March 17 to April 7, 2020, a real-world observational retrospective analysis of consecutive hospitalized adult patients receiving TCZ to treat severe COVID-19 was conducted at our 750-bed university hospital. The main outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality.

The value of repeat biopsy in lupus nephritis flares.

Whether a repeat renal biopsy is helpful during lupus nephritis (LN) flares remains debatable. In order to analyze the clinical utility of repeat renal biopsy in this complex situation, we retrospectively reviewed our series of 54 LN patients who had one or more repeat biopsies performed only on clinical indications. Additionally, we reviewed 686 well-documented similar cases previously reported (PubMed 1990-2015).

[Proliferative mesangial lupus nephritis: description of a cohort of 27 patients].

Background And Objective: To describe our cohort of 27 biopsy-proven patients and their long-term follow-up, with special attention to prognostic factors.

Patients And Methods: Twenty seven patients were retrospectively collected. They were controlled in the Internal Medicine Department of the Bellvitge's Hospital (Spain) between 1974 and 2010.

Sarcoidosis and autoimmune thyroid disease. A case series of ten patients.

Background: Sarcoidosis coexisting with autoimmune disorders, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD), has been previously described and a common immunopathogenesis has been proposed. We report a series of ten new cases of this association from a large series of patients with sarcoidosis.

Methods: The clinical records of patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis between 1984 and 2006 in the Bellvitge University Hospital were reviewed, and those who were also diagnosed as having ATD were selected.

The effect of cephalosporin resistance on mortality in adult patients with nonmeningeal systemic pneumococcal infections.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical relevance of cephalosporin (ceftriaxone/cefotaxime) resistance among patients with nonmeningeal systemic pneumococcal infection.

Subjects And Methods: From January 1994 to October 2000, we prospectively studied 522 episodes of nonmeningeal systemic pneumococcal infections (448 pneumonias) in 499 adults who were treated according to hospital guidelines. In vitro antibiotic susceptibility, as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), was determined by microdilution method.