IgG,kappa monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance with AL amyloidosis simulating giant cell arteritis.

Monoclonal gammopathies complicated by AL amyloidosis can mimic giant cell arteritis (GCA). We hereby present the case of a 63 year old woman in whom symptoms consistent with GCA were the first manifestations of a monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) associated with amyloidosis. A 63 year old woman was admitted for temporal headache, maseterine claudication, neck and shoulder stiffness.

Circulating Reticulocalbin 1 and Reticulocalbin 3 in Systemic Sclerosis Patients: Results of a Case Control Study.

Background: Proteomic candidate biomarkers for systemic sclerosis (Ssc) useful for appropriate patient evaluation and follow-up were identified in mass-spectrometry studies; however, most of these biomarkers were not evaluated and confirmed on independent patient samples. Up-regulation of reticulocalbin 1 (RCN1) and reticulocalbin 3 (RCN3) in the dermal fibroblast secretome originating from Ssc patients was previously described. The aim of the study was to evaluate circulating RCN1 and RCN3 as candidate biomarkers for Ssc clinical expression.

Extended Antiphospholipid Antibodies Screening in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients.

Background: The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is one of the most encountered autoimmunity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and pathogenesis of these two seems to be intricate.

Aim: To investigate the association of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLAs) titer with the presence of secondary APS diagnosis in SLE patients.

Methods: 65 patients fulfilling the 2012 Systemic Lupus Collaborating International Clinics (SLICC) SLE's criteria were included.

Traditional and nontraditional risk factors for atherosclerosis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Premature atherosclerosis (ATS) in SLE patients is an important clinical problem. It is explained not only by excess of traditional risk factors, but also by specific factors linked to disease activity and therapy. Such specific factors include the following: antioxLDL and anti CRP antibodies, immune complexes, mannose-binding lectin, disturbances of metabolism of annexin A5, antiphospholipid syndrome, immunologically determined dyslipidemia, influence of medication.

Limited Wegener's disease presenting as pharyngolaryngeal tumor.

Wegener's disease (WD) which is mostly a systemic illness rarely presents as isolated, monoorganic, limited disease. Limited pharyngolaryngeal WD is thus a very rare occurrence. We report the case of a 29 years old man who developed a pharyngolaryngeal tumor with clinically benign evolution, histologically showing granulomatous inflammation and small vessel vasculitis, with no signs of: tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, fungal disease, Hodgkin's disease or foreign body aspiration.