Ultrasound for diagnosis of interstitial lung disease in diffuse connective tissue diseases.

Patients with diffuse connective tissue diseases frequently develop interstitial lung disease, which carries a worse prognosis and shortens survival. High-resolution computed tomography is the first-choice test, and is competitive with histopathology, however, the cost and radiation may limit its use, particularly for screening. Lung ultrasound is a rapid, accessible, reproducible, and inexpensive study that is useful for diagnosis of interstitial lung disease.

Pulmonary manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus: pleural involvement, acute pneumonitis, chronic interstitial lung disease and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.

Systemic lupus erythematosus is the diffuse autoimmune connective tissue disease that most frequently involves pulmonary involvement, affecting 20% of 90% of the patients. The percentage varies depending on the defining criteria (symptoms, pulmonary tests or histopathological studies). At least once during the disease course, 50% of those affected have pleural and/or pulmonary manifestations, which are associated with higher morbidity and mortality.

Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage in Autoimmune Diseases.

Purpose Of Review: The present paper establishes a narrative and analytical review of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) in ANCA-associated vasculitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and antiphospholipid syndrome.

Recent Findings: Recent studies found a frequent association between DAH and infections and systemic lupus erythematosus and its associated factors. Biological therapies like rituximab have demonstrated benefit mainly in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis.

IgG4 deposits in pure and combined membranous lupus nephritis.

The aim of this study is to determine the frequency and prognosis of IgG4 deposits in renal biopsy of patients with membranous lupus nephritis (MLN). This is a retrospective cohort study in which we included patients with class V alone or combined (III/V or IV/V) of lupus nephritis according to the 2004 ISN/RPS. All the patients included must have availability of renal tissue for immunohistochemistry analyses.

Comparable long-term efficacy, as assessed by patient-reported outcomes, safety and pharmacokinetics, of CT-P13 and reference infliximab in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: 54-week results from the randomized, parallel-group PLANETAS study.

Background: CT-P13 (Remsima®, Inflectra®) is a biosimilar of the infliximab reference product (RP; Remicade®) and is approved in Europe and elsewhere, mostly for the same indications as RP. The aim of this study was to compare the 54-week efficacy, immunogenicity, pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of CT-P13 with RP in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), with a focus on patient-reported outcomes (PROs).

Methods: This was a multinational, double-blind, parallel-group study in patients with active AS.

Factors associated with mortality and infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.

Objective: To evaluate factors associated with mortality and infections in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH).

Methods: A retrospective chart review was carried out for medical admissions of patients with a diagnosis of SLE and DAH in 9 hospitals. Clinical and laboratory data were recorded for each patient at DAH diagnosis.

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis.

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is a rare but potentially fatal condition. Although the pathogenesis of this condition is unknown, high disease activity is the main characteristic; moreover, histopathology in some studies showed alveolar immune complex deposits and capillaritis. Clinical features of DAH include dyspnea, a drop in hemoglobin, and diffuse radiographic alveolar images, with or without hemoptysis.

Pulmonary manifestations of granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

Objective: To describe the clinical and laboratory data, with special emphasis on thoracic imaging findings, in 14 patients with a definitive diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA).

Methods: The clinical and tomographic data of 14 patients with a definitive diagnosis of GPA are presented. Patients with thoracic manifestations suggestive of GPA were evaluated in 3 hospitals from 2000 to 2012.