Biologic-free remission of established rheumatoid arthritis after discontinuation of abatacept: a prospective, multicentre, observational study in Japan.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether biologic-free remission of RA is possible with discontinuation of abatacept.

Methods: Japanese RA patients in 28-joint DAS with CRP (DAS28-CRP) remission (<2.3) after >2 years of abatacept treatment in a phase II study and its long-term extension entered this 52 week, multicentre, non-blinded, prospective, observational study.

Mechanism-based approach using a biomarker response to evaluate tocilizumab subcutaneous injection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with an inadequate response to synthetic DMARDs (MATSURI study).

A multicenter, open-label, dose-escalation phase 1/2 study was undertaken to evaluate the optimal subcutaneous tocilizumab dose that would result in exposure comparable to the intravenous tocilizumab 8-mg/kg approved dose in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A pharmacokinetic and biomarker approach was used to estimate the clinical optimal dose regimen of subcutaneous tocilizumab. Safety and efficacy of subcutaneous tocilizumab were assessed as secondary end points.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia associated with etanercept treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a retrospective review of 15 cases and analysis of risk factors.

Objectives The association of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy with opportunistic infections in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients has been reported. The goal of this study was to clarify the clinical characteristics and the risk factors of RA patients who developed Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) during etanercept therapy. Methods We conducted a multicenter, case-control study in which 15 RA patients who developed PCP were compared with 74 RA patients who did not develop PCP during etanercept therapy.

Deep cutaneous infection by Fusarium solani in a healthy child: successful treatment with local heat therapy.

We describe a 6-year-old boy with a granulomatous lesion on the upper aspect of his left arm. Fusarium solani infection was confirmed by biopsy studies and cultures. The biopsy specimen showed an unusually extensive dermal invasion with fungal hyphae.

[Relationship between neurotransmitter blood noradrenalin and nausea/emesis after chemotherapy for lung cancer].

A clinical study was conducted to investigate the relationship between nausea/emesis after chemotherapy for lung cancer (docetaxel 60 mg/m(2), cisplatin 80 mg/m(2)) and blood serotonin (S), blood catecholamine (adrenaline) (A), noradrenaline (NA) and dopamine (D) in effective and non-effective patients treated with anti-emetic agents. All 37 patients received preventive combination administration of granisetron (GR) 3 mg, methylprednisolone 500 mg and metoclopramide (ME) 40 mg immediately before chemotherapy, followed by GR 3 mg and ME 40 mg on Day 2 and 3. Sixteen patients who were classified as emotionally unstable according to the YG character test additionally received prochlorperazine 15 mg thrice daily starting after their last meal prior to chemotherapy, until nausea/emesis disappeared.

A rare case of systemic sclerosis complicated with multiple autoimmune diseases (Sjögren's syndrome, Graves' disease, and primary biliary cirrhosis).

Abstract We report the case of a 54-year-old woman with systemic sclerosis and Sjögren's syndrome, followed by a simultaneous onset of Graves' disease and primary biliary cirrhosis. Eight years after the patient was diagnosed with systemic sclerosis and secondary Sjögren's syndrome, she complained of thirst and lower extremity muscle weakness. Initially, these symptoms were thought to be due to her original diseases, but laboratory data revealed thyroid dysfunction as well as liver dysfunction, and further tests confirmed the diagnoses of Graves' disease and primary biliary cirrhosis.

[The effectiveness of cevimeline hydrochloride on dry cough in Sjögren's syndrome].

Dry cough in Sjögren syndrome (SS) is not an uncommon symptom observed in clinical fields. However, effective treatments for the cough have not been established. The recently introduced cevimeline hydrochloride, a muscarinic receptor stimulant, has been confirmed to be definitely effective for xerostomia of SS.

[A case of Sjögren's syndrome with marked lacrimal gland enlargement, atypical onset and IgA-M-proteinemia].

Since July, 1999, a 66 year-old man had been complaining of dry cough. He noticed submandibular swelling, lacrimal gland enlargement and dry eye. Keratoconjuctivitis sicca was detected by an ophthalmologist.

[A case of intestinal Behçet's disease with abnormal ossification complicated by myelodysplastic syndrome, symptoms revealed after the perforation of ileum ulcer].

A 39-year-old man, who had been treated with Etretinate for common wart since he was 29 years old, was admitted to Taga General Hospital complaining of gradually deteriorating lumbago and bilateral hip joints pain in September, 1996. His lower vertebrae and bilateral hip joints showed abnormal ossification on X-ray. The bone scintigraphy indicated the existence of sacroiliitis.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) associated with SSA antibody in primary Sjögren syndrome.

Abstract A 33-year-old Japanese woman was diagnosed with primary Sjögren syndrome (SS) in 1995. At this time, SSA antibody had not been detected by the Oucterlony or EIA methods. Two years later, the patient developed dyspnea.

[A case report; systemic lupus erythematosus associated with lupus laryngitis].

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune collagen vascular disease which produces widespread damage to multiple organs. Few studies on laryngeal involvement in SLE have been reported. We report here a case of SLE complicated by lupus laryngitis.

[A case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with a neurogenic bladder, successful treatment with intravenous cyclophosphamide pulse therapy].

A 46-year-old woman was diagnosed as having systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 1990 and was treated with a daily maintenance dose of prednisolone (PSL). She suddenly developed urinary incontinence with a high grade fever and erythema of the arms and legs on May 10, 1998 and was admitted to our hospital. Laboratory findings on admission showed proteinuria, pancytopenia and hypocomplementemia.

[Monoclonal rheumatoid factor in a patient with multiple myeloma after chemotherapy].

A patient with multiple myeloma was treated with several cycles of chemotherapy and developed monoclonal IgA rheumatoid factor. The monoclonal rheumatoid factor in this case reacted with 2 types of monoclonal antiidiotypic antibody derived from monoclonal rheumatoid factors in a patient with Sjögren's syndrome and a patient with macroglobulinemia. Two possible mechanisms accounting for the development of rheumatoid factor activity during a course of chemotherapy are discussed.

[Undifferentiated connective tissue syndromes (UCTS) accompanied by laryngeal involvement and autoimmune hepatitis].

Here we report a patient with undifferentiated connective tissue syndromes (UCTS) who developed hoarseness during exacerbation of autoimmune hepatitis. A 51-year-old woman was hospitalized in November 1993 because of hoarseness and liver dysfunction. She had demonstrated Raynaud's phenomenon, polyarthralgia and hoarseness since 1992.