Effects of rituximab treatment on the serum concentrations of vitamin D and interleukins 2, 6, 7, and 10 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody that selectively targets CD20-positive B-lymphocytes, is used for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with an inadequate response or tolerance to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of rituximab treatment on the serum concentrations of vitamin D, interleukin (IL) 2, IL-6, IL-7, and IL-10 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Forty-five patients, aged 25-78 years, were enrolled into a cohort prospective study.

Prevalence of LDL atherogenic phenotype in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are 5-8 times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than the general population. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of the small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol particle in patients with SLE.

Methods: We recruited 50 consecutive patients with SLE who had no evidence of hypertension or renal failure.

Serum anti-modified citrullinated vimentin antibody concentration is associated with liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis.

Background And Aims: The hepatic stellate cell, which plays a pivotal role in hepatic fibrosis, contains the filament vimentin which is known to undergo protein citrullination and become immunogenic. The aims of this study were to find out if anti-modified citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) antibodies are produced in patients with chronic hepatitis and if such production is associated with liver fibrosis.

Methods: Sera and liver biopsy specimens were collected from 100 patients with chronic hepatitis.

Peptidyl arginine deiminase: A novel immunohistochemical marker for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis.

Peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) is an enzyme known to be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Since many of the molecular events present in the joints in RA also take place in the injured liver, we postulated in this study that PAD may be involved in liver fibrosis. The objectives of this study therefore were to find out if PAD could be demonstrated immunohistochemically in liver biopsies of patients with chronic hepatitis and if it is associated with METAVIR activity and fibrosis scores.

The predictive value of CD38 positive hepatic stellate cell count for assessing disease activity and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis.

The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a critical event in hepatic fibrosis. The objectives of this study were to find out if cluster of differentiation 38 (CD38) can be demonstrated immunohistochemically on HSCs in liver biopsies from patients with chronic liver disease and if CD38 immunopositive HSC count is correlated with METAVIR inflammatory and fibrosis scores. Immunohistochemical labelling for CD38 was performed on 100 liver biopsies from patients with chronic liver disease.