Analysis of treatment outcomes in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis on rituximab therapy.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze a group of patients with severe and refractory antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) managed with rituximab and to report on treatment outcomes.

Patients And Methods: A total of 78 patients (41 females, 37 males; mean age: 50.1±13.

Alterations of serum levels of plasminogen, TNF-α, and IDO in granulomatosis with polyangiitis patients.

Background: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a representative of vasculitides associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies. "Classical" antibodies directed against proteinase 3 are involved in the pathogenesis and are part of the GPA diagnosis at the same time. Along with them, however, antibodies against Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein-2 (LAMP-2) and antibodies directed against plasminogen have been described in GPA.

Treg/Th17 cell balance and phytohaemagglutinin activation of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of systemic sclerosis patients.

Aim: To investigate T-cell activation, the percentage of peripheral T regulatory cells (Tregs), Th17 cells and the circulating cytokine profile in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: We enrolled a total of 24 SSc patients and 16 healthy controls in the study and divided the patients as having diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc, = 13) or limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc, = 11). We performed a further subdivision of the patients regarding the stage of the disease - early, intermediate or late.