Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinaemia (AILD) and sicca syndrome

We report a case of AILD and sicca syndrome. The patient had presented with renal insufficiency, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinaemia, dryness of the eyes and mouth. Lip biopsy specimens showed an unusual cellular infiltrate similar to his kidney lesions. Data from the eight previously reported cases support the hypothesis that the association is a distinct pathological entity differing from pseudolymphoma and malignant lymphoma, which occur in the course of Sjögren's syndrome. The recognition of AILD is important because lymphoproliferation may lead to death after a few months.

[A tricuspid electrophoretic pattern: familial bisalbuminemia with monoclonal immunoglobulin]

An association of a familial bisalbuminemia and a benign M component (IgG Kappa) in a healthy woman is described. Any connection between the two abnormalities is unlikely. However this rare association should be known for a better understanding of the striking features of its electrophoretic pattern.

[Behcet's syndrome and ankylosing spondylarthritis]

Signs of ankylosing spondylitis were sought in 11 patients suffering from Behcet's syndrome and followed up in different departments of the Clermont-Ferrand teaching hospital group. Three patients, described in detail, had definite ankylosing spondylitis and 2 had phenotype B27. This prevalence would be greater than that predicted on the basis of data in the literature. This combination is rare but it is felt to be legitimate to seek the other disease when one of these two conditions is diagnosed.

[Diagnosis of the Gougerot-Sjögren syndrome in rheumatology. II--Test strategy]

The diagnostic evaluation of the sicca complex in rheumatology depends, on the one hand, upon performing tests and, on the other hand, upon the specific clinical presentations which lead to these tests. The frequency with which the clinical problem is encountered should be taken into account as well as the probability of whether or not the patient does indeed have the sicca complex, and the necessity of making a precise diagnosis. A labial biopsy should be performed when it is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Schirmer's test is useful to evaluate the ocular component of the sicca complex, which is the only component requiring therapy. In other cases, one examination can follow another in sequence such as salivary nucleotide scanning followed by biopsy and histological examination.