The spectrum of renal involvement in patients with inflammatory myopathies.

Data regarding the incidence and outcome of renal involvement in patients with inflammatory myopathies (IM) remain scarce. We assessed the incidence and causes of acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in 150 patients with dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and antisynthetase syndrome followed in 3 French referral centers. Renal involvement occurred in 35 (23.

Efficacy of rituximab in systemic manifestations of primary Sjogren's syndrome: results in 78 patients of the AutoImmune and Rituximab registry.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Methods: The AutoImmune and Rituximab registry has included 86 patients with pSS treated with rituximab, prospectivey followed up every 6 months for 5 years.

Results: Seventy-eight patients with pSS (11 men, 67 women), who already had at least one follow-up visit, were analysed.

[Respiratory manifestations of giant cell arteritis: 8 cases and review of the literature].

Background: Pleural and pulmonary manifestations of giant cell arteritis are rare and not well known. They can be associated to more typical signs of the disease and to an inflammatory biological syndrome which are comprised in the multisystemic manifestations of the disease. They can be inaugural, leading to a late management if unrecognized.

Treatment of polyarteritis nodosa and microscopic polyangiitis without poor-prognosis factors: A prospective randomized study of one hundred twenty-four patients.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of systemic corticosteroids alone as first-line treatment of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) without poor-prognosis factors as defined by the Five-Factors Score (FFS), and to compare the efficacy and safety of azathioprine versus pulse cyclophosphamide as adjunctive immunosuppressive therapy for patients experiencing treatment failure or relapse.

Methods: This prospective, multicenter, therapeutic trial included 124 patients with newly diagnosed PAN or MPA (FFS of 0) treated with corticosteroids alone. At the time of treatment failure or disease relapse, patients were randomized to receive 6 months of therapy with oral azathioprine or 6 pulses of cyclophosphamide.