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Tektonidou MG, Vlachogiannis NI, Sfikakis PP. T cell involvement in antiphospholipid syndrome. Clin Immunol 2024; 263:110218. [PMID: 38640985 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.110218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by arterial and venous thrombosis, and obstetric complications in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), including lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin and anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies. APS manifests as single, often as recurrent events, and rarely as a catastrophic condition. Most studies of APS pathogenesis to date have focused on the prothrombotic role of aPL, while innate immune responses such as monocyte, complement and neutrophil activation have been also recognized as part of the thrombo-inflammatory cascade in APS. While the presence of autoreactive T cells against β2-glycoprotein I has been long known, less data are available on their pathogenetic role in APS. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the involvement of T cells in APS pathophysiology, alterations of T cell subsets in peripheral blood, and clinical associations. We also highlight potential therapeutic opportunities by targeting T helper-B cell interactions in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria G Tektonidou
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine and Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
| | - Nikolaos I Vlachogiannis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine and Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros P Sfikakis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine and Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
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2
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Wang Y, He X, Huang K, Cheng N. Nanozyme as a rising star for metabolic disease management. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:226. [PMID: 38711066 PMCID: PMC11071342 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02478-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanozyme, characterized by outstanding and inherent enzyme-mimicking properties, have emerged as highly promising alternatives to natural enzymes owning to their exceptional attributes such as regulation of oxidative stress, convenient storage, adjustable catalytic activities, remarkable stability, and effortless scalability for large-scale production. Given the potent regulatory function of nanozymes on oxidative stress and coupled with the fact that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a vital role in the occurrence and exacerbation of metabolic diseases, nanozyme offer a unique perspective for therapy through multifunctional activities, achieving essential results in the treatment of metabolic diseases by directly scavenging excess ROS or regulating pathologically related molecules. The rational design strategies, nanozyme-enabled therapeutic mechanisms at the cellular level, and the therapies of nanozyme for several typical metabolic diseases and underlying mechanisms are discussed, mainly including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, diabetic wound healing, and others. Finally, the pharmacokinetics, safety analysis, challenges, and outlooks for the application of nanozyme are also presented. This review will provide some instructive perspectives on nanozyme and promote the development of enzyme-mimicking strategies in metabolic disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Wang
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PR China, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyun He
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PR China, Beijing, China
| | - Kunlun Huang
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PR China, Beijing, China.
| | - Nan Cheng
- Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the PR China, Beijing, China.
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3
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Liang R, Xu H, Yao R, Pei W, Wang Z, Liang R, Han X, Zhou Y, An Y, Su Y. A predictive model for premature atherosclerosis in systemic lupus erythematosus based on clinical characteristics. Clin Rheumatol 2024; 43:1541-1550. [PMID: 38565803 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-06934-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with a significant risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, especially in the development of premature atherosclerosis. Specific prediction models for premature atherosclerosis in SLE patients are still limited. The objective of this study was to establish a predictive model for premature atherosclerosis in SLE. METHOD The study collected clinical and laboratory data from 148 SLE patients under the age of 55, between January 2021 and June 2023. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression model was utilized to identify potentially relevant features. Subsequently, a nomogram was developed using multivariable logistic analysis. The performance of the nomogram was evaluated through a receiver-operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS A total of 148 SLE patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study, of whom 53 patients (35.81%) met the definition of premature atherosclerosis. Hypertension, antiphospholipid syndrome, azathioprine use, duration of glucocorticoid, and age of patients were included in the multivariable regression. The nomogram, based on the non-overfitting multivariable model, was internally validated and demonstrated sufficient clinical utility for assessing the risk of premature atherosclerosis (area under curve: 0.867). CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive nomogram constructed in this study serves as a useful and convenient tool for evaluating the risk of premature atherosclerosis in SLE patients. It is helpful for clinicians to early identify SLE patients with premature atherosclerosis and facilitates the implementation of more effective preventive measures. Key Points • SLE patients are at a significantly higher risk of developing premature atherosclerosis compared to the general population, and this risk persists even in cases with low disease activity. Traditional models used to evaluate and predict premature atherosclerosis in SLE patients often underestimate the risk. • This study establishes a comprehensive and visually orientated predictive model of premature atherosclerosis in SLE patients, based on clinical characteristics. • The scoring system allows for convenient and effective prediction of individual incidence of premature atherosclerosis, and could provide valuable information for identification and making further intervention decision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruyu Liang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Haojie Xu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Ranran Yao
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Wenwen Pei
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Ziye Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Renge Liang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Xiao Han
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Yunshan Zhou
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Yuan An
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China.
| | - Yin Su
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Beijing, 100044, China.
- Peking University People's Hospital, Qingdao, China.
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4
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Mantle D, Hargreaves IP. Coenzyme Q10 and Autoimmune Disorders: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4576. [PMID: 38674161 PMCID: PMC11049925 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Some 90 autoimmune disorders have been described in medical literature, affecting most of the tissues within the body. Autoimmune disorders may be difficult to treat, and there is a need to develop novel therapeutic strategies for these disorders. Autoimmune disorders are characterised by mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation; there is therefore a rationale for a role for coenzyme Q10 in the management of these disorders, on the basis of its key role in normal mitochondrial function, as an antioxidant, and as an anti-inflammatory agent. In this article, we have therefore reviewed the potential role of CoQ10, in terms of both deficiency and/or supplementation, in a range of autoimmune disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iain P. Hargreaves
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
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5
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Evangelatos G, Konstantonis G, Tentolouris N, Sfikakis PP, Tektonidou MG. Arterial stiffness tested by pulse wave velocity and augmentation index for cardiovascular risk stratification in antiphospholipid syndrome. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2024; 63:1030-1038. [PMID: 37294733 PMCID: PMC10986810 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Arterial stiffness (ArS) has emerged as a predictor of future cardiovascular events in the general population. We aimed to assess ArS in patients with thrombotic APS versus diabetes mellitus (DM) and healthy controls (HC) and identify predictors of increased ArS in APS. METHODS ArS was evaluated by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and augmentation index normalized to 75 beats/min (AIx@75) using the SphygmoCor device. Participants also underwent carotid/femoral ultrasound for atherosclerotic plaque detection. We used linear regression to compare ArS measures among groups and assess ArS determinants in the APS group. RESULTS We included 110 patients with APS (70.9% female, mean age 45.4 years), 110 DM patients and 110 HC, all age/sex matched. After adjustment for age, sex, cardiovascular risk factors and plaque presence, APS patients exhibited similar cfPWV [β = -0.142 (95% CI -0.514, 0.230), p = 0.454] but increased AIx@75 [β = 4.525 (95% CI 1.372, 7.677), p = 0.005] compared with HC and lower cfPWV (p < 0.001) but similar AIx@75 (p = 0.193) versus DM patients. In the APS group, cfPWV was independently associated with age [β = 0.056 (95% CI 0.034, 0.078), p < 0.001], mean arterial pressure (MAP) [β = 0.070 (95% CI 0.043, 0.097), p < 0.001], atherosclerotic femoral plaques [β = 0.732 (95% CI 0.053, 1.411), p = 0.035] and anti-β2-glycoprotein I IgM positivity [β = 0.696 (95% CI 0.201, 1.191), p = 0.006]. AIx@75 was associated with age [β = 0.334 (95% CI 0.117, 0.551), p = 0.003], female sex [β = 7.447 (95% CI 2.312, 12.581), p = 0.005] and MAP [β = 0.425 (95% CI 0.187, 0.663), p = 0.001]. CONCLUSION APS patients exhibit elevated AIx@75 vs HC and similar to DM patients, indicating enhanced arterial stiffening in APS. Given its prognostic value, ArS evaluation may help to improve cardiovascular risk stratification in APS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerasimos Evangelatos
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George Konstantonis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Tentolouris
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros P Sfikakis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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Corona-Meraz FI, Vázquez-Del Mercado M, Sandoval-García F, Robles-De Anda JA, Tovar-Cuevas AJ, Rosales-Gómez RC, Guzmán-Ornelas MO, González-Inostroz D, Peña-Nava M, Martín-Márquez BT. Biomarkers in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus along with Metabolic Syndrome. J Clin Med 2024; 13:1988. [PMID: 38610754 PMCID: PMC11012563 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13071988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of physiological abnormalities characterized by obesity, insulin resistance (IR), and hypertriglyceridemia, which carry the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Immune and metabolic alterations have been observed in MetS and are associated with autoimmune development. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease caused by a complex interaction of environmental, hormonal, and genetic factors and hyperactivation of immune cells. Patients with SLE have a high prevalence of MetS, in which elevated CVD is observed. Among the efforts of multidisciplinary healthcare teams to make an early diagnosis, a wide variety of factors have been considered and associated with the generation of biomarkers. This review aimed to elucidate some primary biomarkers and propose a set of assessments to improve the projection of the diagnosis and evolution of patients. These biomarkers include metabolic profiles, cytokines, cardiovascular tests, and microRNAs (miRs), which have been observed to be dysregulated in these patients and associated with outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Isadora Corona-Meraz
- Multidisciplinary Health Research Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Center of Tonala, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 45425, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.-J.T.-C.); (R.-C.R.-G.); (M.-O.G.-O.)
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Institute of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal System Research, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; (M.V.-D.M.); (F.S.-G.); (J.-A.R.-D.A.); (D.G.-I.); (M.P.-N.)
| | - Mónica Vázquez-Del Mercado
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Institute of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal System Research, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; (M.V.-D.M.); (F.S.-G.); (J.-A.R.-D.A.); (D.G.-I.); (M.P.-N.)
- Rheumatology Service, Internal Medicine Division, Civil Hospital of Guadalajara “Dr. Juan I. Menchaca”, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
- Academic Group UDG-CA-703, “Immunology and Rheumatology”, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Flavio Sandoval-García
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Institute of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal System Research, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; (M.V.-D.M.); (F.S.-G.); (J.-A.R.-D.A.); (D.G.-I.); (M.P.-N.)
- Academic Group UDG-CA-703, “Immunology and Rheumatology”, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Jesus-Aureliano Robles-De Anda
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Institute of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal System Research, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; (M.V.-D.M.); (F.S.-G.); (J.-A.R.-D.A.); (D.G.-I.); (M.P.-N.)
| | - Alvaro-Jovanny Tovar-Cuevas
- Multidisciplinary Health Research Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Center of Tonala, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 45425, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.-J.T.-C.); (R.-C.R.-G.); (M.-O.G.-O.)
| | - Roberto-Carlos Rosales-Gómez
- Multidisciplinary Health Research Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Center of Tonala, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 45425, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.-J.T.-C.); (R.-C.R.-G.); (M.-O.G.-O.)
| | - Milton-Omar Guzmán-Ornelas
- Multidisciplinary Health Research Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Center of Tonala, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 45425, Jalisco, Mexico; (A.-J.T.-C.); (R.-C.R.-G.); (M.-O.G.-O.)
| | - Daniel González-Inostroz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Institute of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal System Research, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; (M.V.-D.M.); (F.S.-G.); (J.-A.R.-D.A.); (D.G.-I.); (M.P.-N.)
| | - Miguel Peña-Nava
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Institute of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal System Research, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; (M.V.-D.M.); (F.S.-G.); (J.-A.R.-D.A.); (D.G.-I.); (M.P.-N.)
| | - Beatriz-Teresita Martín-Márquez
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genomics, Institute of Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal System Research, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico; (M.V.-D.M.); (F.S.-G.); (J.-A.R.-D.A.); (D.G.-I.); (M.P.-N.)
- Academic Group UDG-CA-703, “Immunology and Rheumatology”, University Center of Health Sciences, University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Jalisco, Mexico
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7
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Balbi GGM, Ahmadzadeh Y, Tektonidou MG, Pengo V, Sciascia S, Ugarte A, Belmont HM, Lopez-Pedrera C, Fortin PR, Wahl D, Gerosa M, de Jesús GR, Ji L, Atsumi T, Efthymiou M, Branch DW, Nalli C, Rodriguez Almaraz E, Petri M, Cervera R, Knight JS, Artim-Esen B, Willis R, Bertolaccini ML, Cohen H, Roubey R, Erkan D, de Andrade DCO. Damage measured by Damage Index for Antiphospholipid Syndrome (DIAPS) in antiphospholipid antibody-positive patients included in the APS ACTION registry. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2024; 63:772-779. [PMID: 37307082 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Our primary objective was to quantify damage burden measured by Damage Index for Antiphospholipid Syndrome (DIAPS) in aPL-positive patients with or without a history of thrombosis in an international cohort (the APS ACTION cohort). Secondly, we aimed to identify clinical and laboratory characteristics associated with damage in aPL-positive patients. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, we analysed the baseline damage in aPL-positive patients with or without APS classification. We excluded patients with other autoimmune diseases. We analysed the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics based on two subgroups: (i) thrombotic APS patients with high vs low damage; and (ii) non-thrombotic aPL-positive patients with vs without damage. RESULTS Of the 826 aPL-positive patients included in the registry as of April 2020, 586 with no other systemic autoimmune diseases were included in the analysis (412 thrombotic and 174 non-thrombotic). In the thrombotic group, hyperlipidaemia (odds ratio [OR] 1.82; 95% CI 1.05, 3.15; adjusted P = 0.032), obesity (OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.23, 3.71; adjusted P = 0.007), aβ2GPI high titres (OR 2.33; 95% CI 1.36, 4.02; adjusted P = 0.002) and corticosteroid use (ever) (OR 3.73; 95% CI 1.80, 7.75; adjusted P < 0.001) were independently associated with high damage at baseline. In the non-thrombotic group, hypertension (OR 4.55; 95% CI 1.82, 11.35; adjusted P = 0.001) and hyperlipidaemia (OR 4.32; 95% CI 1.37, 13.65; adjusted P = 0.013) were independent predictors of damage at baseline; conversely, single aPL positivity was inversely correlated with damage (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.075, 0.77; adjusted P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS DIAPS indicates substantial damage in aPL-positive patients in the APS ACTION cohort. Selected traditional cardiovascular risk factors, steroids use and specific aPL profiles may help to identify patients more prone to present with a higher damage burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo G M Balbi
- Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Yasaman Ahmadzadeh
- Barbara Volcker Center for Women and Rheumatic Disease, Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Savino Sciascia
- Center of Research of Immunopathology and Rare Diseases, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Amaia Ugarte
- Hospital Universitario Cruces, País Vasco, Barakaldo, Spain
| | | | - Chary Lopez-Pedrera
- Rheumatology Service, IMIBIC/Reina Sofia Hospital, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
| | - Paul R Fortin
- CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Denis Wahl
- Université de Lorraine, INSERM, DCAC, Nancy, France
- Vascular Medicine Division and Regional Competence Center for Rare Vascular and Systemic Autoimmune Diseases, CHRU-Nancy, Nancy, France
| | - Maria Gerosa
- Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Lanlan Ji
- Rheumatology and Immunology Department, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | | | - Maria Efthymiou
- Haemostasis Research Unit, Department of Haematology, University College London, London, UK
| | - D Ware Branch
- University of Utah and Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Cecilia Nalli
- Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Michelle Petri
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ricard Cervera
- Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jason S Knight
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Rohan Willis
- Antiphospholipid Standardization Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Maria Laura Bertolaccini
- Academic Department of Vascular Surgery, King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence, School of Cardiovascular Medicine & Sciences, London, UK
| | - Hannah Cohen
- Haemostasis Research Unit, Department of Haematology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Doruk Erkan
- Barbara Volcker Center for Women and Rheumatic Disease, Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Ruiz-Irastorza G, Tektonidou MG, Khamashta M. Anticoagulant and non-anticoagulant therapy in thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome: old drugs and new treatment targets. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2024; 63:SI96-SI106. [PMID: 38320592 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
In this review, we discuss the current evidence on classic and newer oral anticoagulant therapy, older drugs such as HCQ and statins, and new potential treatment targets in APS. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) remain the cornerstone treatment for thrombotic events in APS. In patients fulfilling criteria for definite APS presenting with a first venous thrombosis, treatment with VKAs with a target international normalized ratio (INR) 2.0-3.0 is recommended. In patients with arterial thrombosis, treatment with VKA with target INR 2.0-3.0 or 3.0-4.0 is recommended by recent guidelines, considering the individual's bleeding and thrombosis recurrence risk. A combination of VKAs and low-dose aspirin (75-100 mg/daily) may also be considered. According to available evidence direct oral anticoagulants should be avoided in patients with arterial thrombosis and/or those with triple aPL positivity. Adjunctive treatment with HCQ and/or statins can be considered, especially in anticoagulation treatment-refractory APS. Potential targeted treatments in APS include B-cell targeting, complement inhibition, mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition, IFN targeting, adenosine receptors agonists, CD38 targeting or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. The safety and efficacy of these treatment targets needs to be examined in well-designed randomized controlled trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Ruiz-Irastorza
- Autoimmune Diseases Research Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, The Basque Country, Bizkaia, Spain
- University of The Basque Country, The Basque Country, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Munther Khamashta
- Department of Women & Children's Health, King's College London, London, UK
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9
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Gaspar P, Sciascia S, Tektonidou MG. Epidemiology of antiphospholipid syndrome: macro- and microvascular manifestations. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2024; 63:SI24-SI36. [PMID: 38320589 PMCID: PMC10846913 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by thrombotic and non-thrombotic macro- and microvascular manifestations and pregnancy complications in the setting of persistent antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), namely anticardiolipin antibodies, anti-β2 glycoprotein-I antibodies and lupus anticoagulant. Four decades after its first description, APS prevalence and incidence are still not completely understood due to the limited number of well-designed, population-based multi-ethnic studies. Furthermore, despite decades of efforts to standardise aPL immunoassays, considerable intraassay and interlaboratory variances in aPL measures still exist. Large multicentre APS cohorts have shown a 10-year survival of ∼91% and the presence of catastrophic APS occurs in about 1% of the entire population, associated with a 50% mortality rate. Clinically, any organ can be affected in the context of large, medium or small vessel (artery and/or vein) thrombosis. Macrovascular thrombosis is the hallmark of the disease and veins are more frequently affected than arteries. Deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism thromboembolic disease is the most common APS manifestation, while stroke and transient ischaemic attack are the most frequent arterial thrombosis events. Myocardial infarction can also occur and contributes to increased mortality in APS. A minority of patients present with thrombosis affecting the intraabdominal organs, including the liver, spleen, small and large bowel, and the kidneys. Microvascular thrombosis, including APS nephropathy, chronic skin ulcers and livedoid vasculopathy represent a diagnostic challenge requiring histologic confirmation. In this narrative review we summarize the available evidence on APS epidemiology, focusing on the description of the prevalence of macro- and microvascular manifestations of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Gaspar
- Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon, Portugal
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Centro Académico de Medicina de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Savino Sciascia
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University Center of Excellence on Nephrologic, Rheumatologic and Rare Diseases (ERK-Net, ERN-ReConnect and RITA-ERN Member) with Nephrology and Dialysis Unit and Center of Immuno-Rheumatology and Rare Diseases (CMID), ASL Città Di Torino and University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- First Department of Propaedeutic and Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, EULAR Centre of Excellence, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
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Harper AE, Chen YT, Tancer S, Rodgers KR, Crumb AD, Townsend WA, Knight JS, Murphy SL. Non-pharmacological rehabilitation interventions for individuals with antiphospholipid syndrome: A scoping review. Lupus 2024; 33:101-110. [PMID: 38113856 PMCID: PMC11003253 DOI: 10.1177/09612033231223336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to explore what non-pharmacological interventions have been examined for individuals with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). METHODS We conducted a systematic literature search of the databases PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and ClinicalTrials.gov from 1983-Feb. 2023. Our scoping review included studies that examined non-pharmacological interventions for individuals with APS using patient-reported outcome measures. We excluded studies that reported physiological outcomes only. RESULTS The review yielded one case study on the safety and efficacy of an exercise program for a 15-year-old male with secondary APS using physiological and patient-reported outcome measures. Despite the lack of evidence of non-pharmacological interventions for individuals with APS, one excluded study reported that individuals with APS want guidance about physical activity and exercise. We also found several types of potentially relevant non-pharmacological interventions for individuals with lupus, a disease that often co-occurs with APS. CONCLUSIONS Non-pharmacological interventions may offer a solution for addressing some non-thrombotic or non-obstetric APS symptoms, such as neurological, physical, and cognitive symptoms that are not well-controlled by anticoagulation. Due to the unique risks associated with APS, research is needed to determine the safety and efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions, particularly those involving exercise. Adopting a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to managing patients with APS and involving rehabilitation professionals, who are experts in the design and delivery of non-pharmacological interventions, may provide a foundation for developing and testing novel interventions that improve health outcomes while also fulfilling unmet needs reported by patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Harper
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- University of Michigan Antiphospholipid Syndrome Program, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yen T Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stephanie Tancer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kyla R Rodgers
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Amber D Crumb
- University of Michigan Antiphospholipid Syndrome Program, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Whitney A Townsend
- Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jason S Knight
- University of Michigan Antiphospholipid Syndrome Program, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Susan L Murphy
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- University of Michigan Antiphospholipid Syndrome Program, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Aguirre Del-Pino R, Monahan RC, Huizinga TWJ, Eikenboom J, Steup-Beekman GM. Risk Factors for Antiphospholipid Antibodies and Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Semin Thromb Hemost 2024. [PMID: 38228166 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1776910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Persistence of serum antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) is associated with a high thrombotic risk, both arterial and venous, and with pregnancy complications. Due to the potential morbidity and mortality associated with the presence of aPL, identifying and recognizing risk factors for the development of aPL and thrombosis in aPL carriers may help to prevent and reduce the burden of disease. Multiple elements are involved in the pathomechanism of aPL development and aPL-related thrombosis such as genetics, malignancy, and infections. This review will address the role of both well-known risk factors and their evolution, and of emerging risk factors, including COVID-19, in the development of aPL and thrombosis in aPL carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Aguirre Del-Pino
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Division of Rheumatology, A Coruña University Hospital (CHUAC), Galicia, Spain
| | - Rory C Monahan
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Tom W J Huizinga
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Eikenboom
- Division of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Gerda M Steup-Beekman
- Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Rheumatology, Haaglanden Medical Center, The Hague, The Netherlands
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Zhao Y, Qi W, Huang C, Zhou Y, Wang Q, Tian X, Li M, Zhao Y, Zeng X, Zhao J. Serum Calprotectin as a Potential Predictor of Microvascular Manifestations in Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Rheumatol Ther 2023; 10:1769-1783. [PMID: 37906398 PMCID: PMC10654303 DOI: 10.1007/s40744-023-00610-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Microvascular manifestations constitute a subtype of antiphospholipid syndrome, and those patients have relatively poor prognoses, so it is important to find markers for microvascular manifestations. This study was conducted to explore whether serum calprotectin could be a predictor of microvascular manifestations in antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-positive patients. METHODS Consecutive patients with persistent aPL positivity referred to Peking Union Medical College Hospital and age- and sex-matched health controls (HCs) were included. Microvascular manifestations included antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) nephropathy, livedo reticularis, valvular lesions, non-stroke central nervous system manifestations, myocarditis, catastrophic APS, and other microvascular manifestations confirmed by pathology, imaging, or clinical diagnosis. Calprotectin was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cutoff value was defined as mean + 2 standard deviations of HCs. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors. Pearson correlation analysis was used to detect the correlation between calprotectin and other laboratory data. RESULTS Of the 466 patients included in the study, 281 (60.3%) patients met the 2006 Sydney Revised Classification Criteria; among the latter, 77.2% were patients with primary APS. The mean age was 39.10 ± 13.05 years old, and 77.0% were female. Thirty-eight age- and sex-matched HCs were included in the study. Serum calprotectin levels were increased in aPL-positive patients compared with HCs (649.66 ± 240.79 vs 484.62 ± 149.37 ng/ml, p < 0.001), and were increased in patients with microvascular manifestations compared with patients without (693.03 ± 271.90 vs 639.43 ± 232.06 ng/ml, p = 0.044). The cutoff value was 783.36 ng/ml. Ninety-three patients (20.0%) were positive for calprotectin. Calprotectin positivity was independently associated with microvascular manifestations (odds ratio [OR] 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-3.36) and platelet count (PLT) < 100 (OR 2.04, 95% CI 1.08-3.88). Age (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00), systemic lupus erythematosus (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.15-3.75), calprotectin positivity (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.02-3.26), hypertension (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.36-5.45), hemolytic anemia (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.13-6.23), and anti-β2GPI antibodies (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.11-3.83) could independently predict microvascular manifestations in aPL-positive patients. Serum calprotectin negatively correlated with PLT (R = - 0.101, p = 0.031). CONCLUSION Serum calprotectin levels are increased in aPL-positive patients and could be a potential predictor of microvascular manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Wanting Qi
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Can Huang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Yangzhong Zhou
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Xinping Tian
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Mengtao Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zeng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Jiuliang Zhao
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Beijing, 100730, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science and Technology, Beijing, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
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Drosos GC, Konstantonis G, Sfikakis PP, Tektonidou MG. Cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome: a cross-sectional performance analysis of nine clinical risk prediction tools. RMD Open 2023; 9:e003601. [PMID: 38016710 PMCID: PMC10685980 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess the performance of cardiovascular risk (CVR) prediction models reported by European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology and European Society of Cardiology recommendations to identify high-atherosclerotic CVR (ASCVR) patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). METHODS Six models predicting the risk of a first cardiovascular disease event (first-CVD) (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE); modified-SCORE; Framingham risk score; Pooled Cohorts Risk Equation; Prospective Cardiovascular Münster calculator; Globorisk), three risk prediction models for patients with a history of prior arterial events (recurrent-CVD) (adjusted Global APS Score (aGAPSS); aGAPSSCVD; Secondary Manifestations of Arterial Disease (SMART)) and carotid/femoral artery vascular ultrasound (VUS) were used to assess ASCVR in 121 APS patients (mean age: 45.8±11.8 years; women: 68.6%). We cross-sectionally examined the calibration, discrimination and classification accuracy of all prediction models to identify high ASCVR due to VUS-detected atherosclerotic plaques, and risk reclassification of patients classified as non high-risk according to first-CVD/recurrent-CVD tools to actual high risk based on VUS. RESULTS Spiegelhalter's z-test p values 0.47-0.57, area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUROC) 0.56-0.75 and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) 0.01-0.35 indicated moderate calibration, poor-to-acceptable discrimination and negligible-to-moderate classification accuracy, respectively, for all risk models. Among recurrent-CVD tools, SMART and aGAPSSCVD (for non-triple antiphospholipid antibody-positive patients) performed better (z/AUROC/MCC: 0.47/0.64/0.29 and 0.52/0.69/0.29, respectively) than aGAPSS. VUS reclassified 34.2%-47.9% and 40.5%-52.6% of patients classified as non-high-ASCVR by first-CVD and recurrent-CVD prediction models, respectively. In patients aged 40-54 years, >40% VUS-guided reclassification was observed for first-CVD risk tools and >50% for recurrent-CVD prediction models. CONCLUSION Clinical CVR prediction tools underestimate actual high ASCVR in APS. VUS may help to improve CVR assessment and optimal risk factor management.
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Affiliation(s)
- George C Drosos
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - George Konstantonis
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros P Sfikakis
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
- Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine and Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
- Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine and Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
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Lin CM, Lin YS. Utilizing a Two-Stage Taguchi Method and Artificial Neural Network for the Precise Forecasting of Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1286. [PMID: 38002410 PMCID: PMC10669281 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10111286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The complexity of cardiovascular disease onset emphasizes the vital role of early detection in prevention. This study aims to enhance disease prediction accuracy using personal devices, aligning with point-of-care testing (POCT) objectives. This study introduces a two-stage Taguchi optimization (TSTO) method to boost predictive accuracy in an artificial neural network (ANN) model while minimizing computational costs. In the first stage, optimal hyperparameter levels and trends were identified. The second stage determined the best settings for the ANN model's hyperparameters. In this study, we applied the proposed TSTO method with a personal computer to the Kaggle Cardiovascular Disease dataset. Subsequently, we identified the best setting for the hyperparameters of the ANN model, setting the hidden layer to 4, activation function to tanh, optimizer to SGD, learning rate to 0.25, momentum rate to 0.85, and hidden nodes to 10. This setting led to a state-of-the-art accuracy of 74.14% in predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the proposed TSTO method significantly reduced the number of experiments by a factor of 40.5 compared to the traditional grid search method. The TSTO method accurately predicts cardiovascular risk and conserves computational resources. It is adaptable for low-power devices, aiding the goal of POCT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yu-Shiang Lin
- Professional Master Program in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan;
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Schiavi C, Marri L, Negrini S. Arterial thrombosis triggered by methotrexate-induced hyperhomocysteinemia in a systemic lupus erythematosus patient with antiphospholipid antibodies. Thromb J 2023; 21:113. [PMID: 37924122 PMCID: PMC10623835 DOI: 10.1186/s12959-023-00557-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and thrombotic events, and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies further raises the risk of these complications. Here we report a case of a patient with SLE and triple positivity for antiphospholipid antibodies who developed a popliteal artery thrombosis in the context of a severe hyperhomocysteinemia after the introduction of methotrexate (MTX) treatment. MTX is one of the most prescribed medications for a wide spectrum of autoimmune diseases, including SLE. On the other hand, by interfering with folate metabolism, it may induce hyperhomocysteinemia, which, in turn, may increase the risk of vascular complications. Current recommendations suggest screening and, when possible, treating classical and disease-related cardiovascular risk factors in all lupus patients. Based on what observed in our case, we suggest a follow-up of homocysteine levels after the introduction of drugs capable of inducing hyperhomocysteinemia, such as MTX, in SLE patients at high cardiovascular risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Schiavi
- Internal Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Translational Medicine Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Luca Marri
- Internal Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Translational Medicine Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simone Negrini
- Internal Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Translational Medicine Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
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Napiórkowska-Baran K, Schmidt O, Szymczak B, Lubański J, Doligalska A, Bartuzi Z. Molecular Linkage between Immune System Disorders and Atherosclerosis. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:8780-8815. [PMID: 37998729 PMCID: PMC10670175 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45110552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
A strong relationship exists between immune dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. Immune dysregulation can promote the development of cardiovascular diseases as well as exacerbate their course. The disorders may occur due to the presence of primary immune defects (currently known as inborn errors of immunity) and the more common secondary immune deficiencies. Secondary immune deficiencies can be caused by certain chronic conditions (such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, obesity, autoimmune diseases, or cancer), nutritional deficiencies (including both lack of nutrients and bioactive non-nutrient compounds), and medical treatments and addictive substances. This article unravels the molecular linkage between the aforementioned immune system disorders and atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Napiórkowska-Baran
- Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
| | - Oskar Schmidt
- Student Research Club of Clinical Immunology, Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (O.S.); (B.S.); (J.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Bartłomiej Szymczak
- Student Research Club of Clinical Immunology, Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (O.S.); (B.S.); (J.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Jakub Lubański
- Student Research Club of Clinical Immunology, Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (O.S.); (B.S.); (J.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Agata Doligalska
- Student Research Club of Clinical Immunology, Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland; (O.S.); (B.S.); (J.L.); (A.D.)
| | - Zbigniew Bartuzi
- Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń, 85-067 Bydgoszcz, Poland;
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Yoneda K, Ueda Y, Tanimura K, Arase H, Yamada H, Saegusa J. Association of anti-β2-glycoprotein I/HLA-DR complex antibody with arterial thrombosis in female patients with systemic rheumatic diseases. Arthritis Res Ther 2023; 25:195. [PMID: 37803443 PMCID: PMC10557208 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-023-03175-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) complexed with human leukocyte antigen DR (β2GPI/HLA-DR) was found to be a major autoantibody target in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). This study aimed to reveal the association between anti-β2GPI/HLA-DR antibodies and vascular thromboses in women with systemic rheumatic diseases. METHODS We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study. We measured anti-β2GPI/HLA-DR antibodies and compared them with anti-phospholipid antibody (aPL) profiles and the adjusted global antiphospholipid syndrome score (aGAPSS). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, we determined the best cut-off value for arterial thrombosis. We also evaluated the validity of anti-β2GPI/HLA-DR antibodies by adding to conventional cardiovascular risk factors in multivariate logistic analysis. RESULTS We evaluated 704 patients, including 66 (obstetric or thrombotic) APS, 13 primary APS, and 78 asymptomatic aPL carriers. Seventy-seven patients had a history of arterial thrombosis, and 14 patients had both arterial and venous thrombosis. These 14 patients, as well as patients with aGAPSS > 10 or triple-positive aPL profiles, displayed high anti-β2GPI/HLA-DR antibody titers. The ROC curve showed a sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) for arterial thrombosis of 33.8%, 91.4%, and 0.6009, respectively, with a cut-off value of 172.359 U/mL. The anti-β2GPI/HLA-DR antibody positivity using this cut-off value yielded an odds ratio of 5.13 (95%CI: 2.85-9.24), significantly improving the AUC from 0.677 to 0.730. CONCLUSION Anti-β2GPI/HLA-DR antibodies are associated with arterial thrombosis in female patients with systemic rheumatic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuhiko Yoneda
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Yo Ueda
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan
| | - Kenji Tanimura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hisashi Arase
- Department of Immunochemistry, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
- Laboratory of Immunochemistry, World Premier International Immunology Frontier Research Centre, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hideto Yamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
- Center for Recurrent Pregnancy Loss, Teine Keijinkai Hospital, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Jun Saegusa
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-Cho, Chuo-Ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
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18
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Yang M, Smith BC. Cysteine and methionine oxidation in thrombotic disorders. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 76:102350. [PMID: 37331217 PMCID: PMC10527720 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
Thrombosis is the leading cause of death in many diseased conditions. Oxidative stress is characteristic of these conditions. Yet, the mechanisms through which oxidants become prothrombotic are unclear. Recent evidence suggests protein cysteine and methionine oxidation as prothrombotic regulators. These oxidative post-translational modifications occur on proteins that participate in the thrombotic process, including Src family kinases, protein disulfide isomerase, β2 glycoprotein I, von Willebrand factor, and fibrinogen. New chemical tools to identify oxidized cysteine and methionine proteins in thrombosis and hemostasis, including carbon nucleophiles for cysteine sulfenylation and oxaziridines for methionine, are critical to understanding why clots occur during oxidative stress. These mechanisms will identify alternative or novel therapeutic approaches to treat thrombotic disorders in diseased conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moua Yang
- Division of Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Brian C Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA; Program in Chemical Biology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
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19
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Andrade D, Tektonidou MG. Assessing disease activity and damage in antiphospholipid syndrome. Clin Immunol 2023; 255:109727. [PMID: 37558149 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has been characterized by a variety of vascular and pregnancy manifestations related to an interplay between thrombotic and inflammatory mechanisms, a progressive accrual of irreversible organ damage and increased morbidity and mortality rates, supporting a high need of optimal treatment approach. The lack of standardized outcome measures is a significant barrier in the design of clinical studies in APS. Disease activity (in principle reversible) and its distinction from disease damage (in principle irreversible) needs to be evaluated by validated scores for use in clinical trials but also in daily clinical practice in APS. A disease damage score in APS, the DIAPS score, has been developed and validated in external cohorts. The development of a disease activity score that will provide an accurate and reproducible rating of each disease domain, can help clinicians and researchers to comprehensively assess the activity of disease and the response to treatment, in an attempt to prevent future damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danieli Andrade
- Rheumatology Department, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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20
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Saponjski J, Stojanovich L, Stanisavljevic N, Djokovic A, Vojinovic R, Kocic S, Nikolic S, Matic P, Filipovic B, Djulejic V, Colovic V, Bogosavljevic N, Aleksandric D, Kostic D, Brkic Georgijevski B, Misovic M, Colic N, Saponjski D. Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of Atherosclerotic Plaques on Carotid Arteries in Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome: The Role of MDCT Angiography. Diseases 2023; 11:131. [PMID: 37873775 PMCID: PMC10594423 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11040131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease characterised by arterious and venous thrombosis, miscarriage, and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in the blood. As we know, APS is also characterised by accelerated atherosclerotic degeneration with an increased risk of thrombosis in all blood vessels, including the carotid arteries. Carotid artery stenosis can manifest in many different ways. The aim of this study is to present the results of our multidetector computerised tomography angiography (MDCTA) analysis of the carotid arteries in patients with primary and secondary APS compared with a control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study examined 50 patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) and 50 patients with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (SAPS). The results were compared with a control group also comprising 50 patients. The groups were analysed with respect to age, sex and the presence of well-established risk factors for vascular disease. The study was conducted using MDCTA, where we analysed the quantitative and qualitative (morphologic) characteristics of carotid artery lesions. RESULTS Patients from the control group had significantly elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in comparison with patients with PAPS and SAPS (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05). The results show that carotid artery lesions were significantly more common in patients with APS (PAPS, n = 40, CI95: 0.50-0.75, p = 0.0322 and SAFS, n = 54, CI95: 0.59-0.80, p = 0.0004) than within the control group (n = 23). There was a statistically significant difference between patients with APS and the control group with respect to lesions in the distal segments (n = 27, CI95: 0.67-0.95, p = 0.0001), bulbi and proximal segments (n = 21, CI95: 0.84-1.00, p = 0.000005). The number of patients with one lesion (L) (n = 27) was significantly greater than the number of those with three (n = 10, CI95: 0.56-0.86, p = 0.0051) or four (n = 3, CI95: 0.73-0.98, p = 0.00001) lesions. There were also more patients with two lesions (n = 24) than those with four (n = 3) (CI95: 0.71-0.97, p = 0.00005). Carotid artery stenosis was shown as a percentage of the carotid artery lumen diameter (%DS). Stenosis of up to 30%, was more common in patients in the PAPS group (n = 12) than in the control group (n = 3) (CI95: 0.52-0.96, p = 0.0201), while the SAPS group (n = 17) had an even larger disparity (CI95: 0.62-0.97, p = 0.0017). We observed a highly significant difference in the frequency of stenoses between 30% and 50% DS between the PAPS group (n = 24) and the control group (n = 7) (CI95: 0.59-0.90, p = 0.0023), as well as the SAPS group (n = 30) (CI95: 0.65-0.92, p = 0.0002). A qualitative analysis of plaque morphology revealed that patients with PAPS had significantly more soft tissue lesions (n = 23) compared with calcified lesions (n = 2) (CI95: 0.74-0.99, p = 0.00003), as well as more mixed plaques (n = 9) and calcified plaques (n = 2) (CI95: 0.48-0.98, p = 0.0348). Patients within the SAPS group had significantly more soft tissue (n = 35) than calcified lesions (n = 3) (CI95: 0.79-0.98, p = 0.00000021), as well as more mixed lesions (n = 21) compared with calcified (n = 3) (CI95: 0.68-0.97, p = 0.0002). CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that subclinical manifestations of carotid artery lesions were more common in patients with APS. We came to the conclusion that MDCTA is an accurate diagnostic method because it is a safe method that provides us with a great quantity of accurate information about the characteristics of atheromatous plaques, which aids us in the further planning of treatment for patients with APS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovica Saponjski
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (V.D.); (N.B.)
- University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (A.D.); (V.C.)
| | - Ljudmila Stojanovich
- University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (A.D.); (V.C.)
- University Hospital Medical Center “Bezanijska Kosa”, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Aleksandra Djokovic
- University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (A.D.); (V.C.)
- University Hospital Medical Center “Bezanijska Kosa”, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Radisa Vojinovic
- Faculty of Medical Science, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
- University Clinical Center of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia
| | | | - Simon Nikolic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Kosovksa Mitrovica, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Predrag Matic
- Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases “Dedinje”, 111040 Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Vuk Djulejic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (V.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Vladan Colovic
- University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (A.D.); (V.C.)
| | - Nikola Bogosavljevic
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (V.D.); (N.B.)
- Institute for Orthopedic Diseases “Banjica”, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Dejan Kostic
- Military Medical Academy, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia; (D.K.); (M.M.)
| | | | - Miroslav Misovic
- Military Medical Academy, 11040 Belgrade, Serbia; (D.K.); (M.M.)
| | - Nikola Colic
- University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (A.D.); (V.C.)
| | - Dusan Saponjski
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (V.D.); (N.B.)
- University Clinical Center of Serbia, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia (A.D.); (V.C.)
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21
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Pappa M, Ntouros PA, Papanikolaou C, Sfikakis PP, Souliotis VL, Tektonidou MG. Augmented oxidative stress, accumulation of DNA damage and impaired DNA repair mechanisms in thrombotic primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Clin Immunol 2023; 254:109693. [PMID: 37454866 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2023.109693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a rare autoimmune disorder with complex pathogenesis. Studies have shown that oxidative stress may contribute to APS pathophysiology. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from thrombotic Primary APS (thrPAPS) patients and age/sex-matched healthy controls (HC), as well as a control group of asymptomatic antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) positive individuals without APS (aPL+/non-APS), we examined oxidative stress, abasic (apurinic/apyrimidinic) sites, and DNA damage response (DDR)-associated parameters, including endogenous DNA damage (single- and double-strand breaks) and DNA repair mechanisms, namely nucleotide excision repair (NER) and double-strand breaks repair (DSB/R). We found that thrPAPS patients exhibited significantly higher levels of endogenous DNA damage, increased oxidative stress and abasic sites, as well as lower NER and DSB/R capacities versus HC (all P < 0.001) and versus aPL+/non-APS subjects (all P < 0.05). Our findings demonstrate that oxidative stress and decreased DNA repair mechanisms contribute to the accumulation of endogenous DNA damage in PBMCs from thrPAPS patients and, if further validated, may be exploited as therapeutic targets and potential biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pappa
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis A Ntouros
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Petros P Sfikakis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Vassilis L Souliotis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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22
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Michael S, Sofia MG, Wei W, Patrick G, John A, Dana A. Efficacy of the Hepcon system in reducing hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications in antiphospholipid syndrome patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Perfusion 2023:2676591231197990. [PMID: 37608561 DOI: 10.1177/02676591231197990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery are at increased risk for thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications. Anticoagulation during CPB is typically monitored with activated clotting time (ACT) which may be falsely prolonged in patients with APS. The Hepcon Hemostasis Management System quantitatively determines the whole blood heparin concentration through heparin/protamine titration. METHODS This was a retrospective study of APS patients who underwent cardiac surgery requiring CPB at the Cleveland Clinic between April 2013, and July 2020. The primary endpoint was the composite rate of hemorrhagic or thromboembolic complications per surgical case in patients monitored by Hepcon versus patients monitored by ACT. Secondary endpoints were median volume of chest tube output and packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion within the first three post-operative days. RESULTS 43 patients were included. 20 (47%) patients were monitored using Hepcon while 23 (53%) were monitored using ACT. For the primary endpoint of rate of thromboembolic or hemorrhagic complications per surgical case, there was no statistically significant difference between the Hepcon and ACT groups (HMS, 6/20 [30%]; ACT, 7/23 [30%]; p = >0.99). For the secondary endpoints, there was no statistically significant difference in median post-operative chest tube output (780 mL vs. 850 mL; p = 0.88) and median post-operative PRBC transfusion (1 unit vs. 0 unit; p = 0.28) between the Hepcon and ACT groups, respectively. CONCLUSION There was no difference in the composite outcome of thrombotic or hemorrhagic complications in patients monitored by Hepcon versus those monitored by ACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheu Michael
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Molina Garcia Sofia
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Biostatistics, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Grady Patrick
- Department of Perfusion, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Apostolakis John
- Department of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Angelini Dana
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
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23
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Dziedzic R, Zaręba L, Iwaniec T, Kubicka-Trząska A, Romanowska-Dixon B, Bazan-Socha S, Dropiński J. High prevalence of thrombophilic risk factors in patients with central retinal artery occlusion. Thromb J 2023; 21:81. [PMID: 37507715 PMCID: PMC10386273 DOI: 10.1186/s12959-023-00525-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a common cause of blindness and visual morbidity. In the majority of cases, it is related to thrombotic embolism. Nevertheless, the role of inherited or acquired thrombophilic risk factors in CRAO pathogenesis has not been comprehensively studied. METHODS In 126 CRAO patients (66 [52.4%] men, median age 55 [range: 18-80] years) and 107 matched controls (56 [52.3%] men, median age 53 [range: 34-78] years) we evaluated classical atherosclerotic risk factors, including serum lipid profile and glucose level, analyzed intima-media complex thickness (IMT) of external carotid arteries, and performed transthoracic echocardiography. Furthermore, we established the prevalence of inherited and acquired thrombophilic risk factors, such as factor V Leiden (FVL) and prothrombin 20210 G/A genetic variants, plasma activity of factor (F) VIII, protein C and antithrombin activity, and free protein S levels. We also assessed the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA) and evaluated blood homocysteine in all enrolled subjects. Additionally, we estimated the occurrence of Val34Leu polymorphism of the A subunit of coagulation factor XIII (FXIII-A) in both groups as a potential thrombosis-protecting factor. RESULTS Among traditional atherosclerotic risk components, obesity/overweight and hypercholesterolemia were the most common in the CRAO group and occurred in 103 (81.7%) and 85 (67.5%) patients, respectively. CRAO patients also had elevated IMT and altered echocardiographic parameters, indicating diastolic cardiac dysfunction. In thrombophilia investigations, at least one laboratory risk factor occurred in 72.2% (n = 91) of CRAO patients, with APLA as the most frequent, detected in 38.1% (n = 48) of them (almost seven times more frequent than in controls, p < 0.001). Deficiencies in protein C activity and free protein S levels were also common in the CRAO group, reported in 17.5% (n = 22) and 19.8% (n = 25) of patients, respectively. Interestingly, among two analyzed prothrombotic genetic variants, only the FVL was related to CRAO, with the allelic frequency 2.4 times more prevalent than in controls (p = 0.044). Finally, the CRAO group was characterized by hyperhomocysteinemia, almost twice as common as in controls (p = 0.026). Antithrombin deficiency, elevated FVIII, and FXIII-A Val34Leu polymorphism were not associated with CRAO. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that thrombophilia plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of CRAO. Thus, proper laboratory screening should be considered in the primary and secondary prevention of those episodes, with implementing appropriate therapy as needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radosław Dziedzic
- Doctoral School of Medical and Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Łazarza 16, Krakow, 31-530, Poland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, Krakow, 30-688, Poland
| | - Lech Zaręba
- College of Natural Sciences, Institute of Computer Science, University of Rzeszow, Pigonia 1, Rzeszow, 35-310, Poland
| | - Teresa Iwaniec
- Department of Hematology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 17, Krakow, 31-501, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kubicka-Trząska
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Clinic of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology of University Hospital, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 38, Krakow, 31-501, Poland
| | - Bożena Romanowska-Dixon
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Clinic of Ophthalmology and Ocular Oncology of University Hospital, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kopernika 38, Krakow, 31-501, Poland
| | - Stanisława Bazan-Socha
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, Krakow, 30-688, Poland
| | - Jerzy Dropiński
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, Krakow, 30-688, Poland.
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24
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Nasonov EL, Reshetnyak TM, Solovyev SK, Popkova TV. [Systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome: past, present, future]. TERAPEVT ARKH 2023; 95:365-374. [PMID: 38158987 DOI: 10.26442/00403660.2023.05.202246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Immune-inflammatory (autoimmune and autoinflammatory) rheumatic diseases are widespread severe chronic inflammatory diseases and also "models" for studying the fundamental mechanisms of pathogenesis and approach to pharmacotherapy of other diseases associated with autoimmunity and/or autoinflammation. Uncontrolled inflammation leading to hypercoagulation forms the basis of "thromboinflammation", which is considered a universal pathogenetic mechanism of organ involvement in immune-inflammatory rheumatic diseases, as well as in COVID-19 and atherosclerotic vascular lesions (atherothrombosis). Thrombo-inflammatory mechanisms play a crucial role in systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome. Russian rheumatology, under the leadership of academician Valentina Alexandrovna Nasonova, greatly contributed to the research of these disorders. This article addresses the current view about the overlapping pathogenetic mechanisms of thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus and antiphospholipid syndrome, the relevance of these studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the prospects for antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- E L Nasonov
- Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology
- Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University)
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25
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Triantafyllias K, Thiele LE, Cavagna L, Baraliakos X, Bertsias G, Schwarting A. Arterial Stiffness as a Surrogate Marker of Cardiovascular Disease and Atherosclerosis in Patients with Arthritides and Connective Tissue Diseases: A Literature Review. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13111870. [PMID: 37296720 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13111870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The increased cardiovascular (CV) risk among patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as arthritides and connective tissue diseases, has been extensively documented. From a pathophysiological standpoint, systemic inflammation in the context of the disease can lead to endothelial dysfunction, accelerated atherosclerosis, and structural changes in vessel walls, which, in turn, are associated with exaggerated CV morbidity and mortality. In addition to these abnormalities, the increased prevalence of traditional CV risk factors, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension, and impaired glucose metabolism, can further worsen the status of and overall prognosis for CV in rheumatic patients. However, data on appropriate CV screening methods for patients with systemic autoimmune diseases are scarce, and traditional algorithms may lead to an underestimation of the true CV risk. The reason for this is that these calculations were developed for the general population and thus do not take into account the effect of the inflammatory burden, as well as other chronic-disease-associated CV risk factors. In recent years, different research groups, including ours, have examined the value of different CV surrogate markers, including carotid sonography, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, and flow-mediated arterial dilation, in the assessment of CV risk in healthy and rheumatic populations. In particular, arterial stiffness has been thoroughly examined in a number of studies, showing high diagnostic and predictive value for the occurrence of CV events. To this end, the present narrative review showcases a series of studies examining aortic and peripheral arterial stiffness as surrogates of all-cause CV disease and atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, as well as in systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis. Moreover, we discuss the associations of arterial stiffness with clinical, laboratory, and disease-specific parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Triantafyllias
- Rheumatology Center Rhineland-Palatinate, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str. 9-11, 55543 Bad Kreuznach, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Leif-Erik Thiele
- Rheumatology Center Rhineland-Palatinate, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str. 9-11, 55543 Bad Kreuznach, Germany
| | - Lorenzo Cavagna
- Department of Rheumatology, University and IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo Foundation Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Xenofon Baraliakos
- Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet Herne, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44649 Herne, Germany
| | - George Bertsias
- Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71500 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Andreas Schwarting
- Rheumatology Center Rhineland-Palatinate, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str. 9-11, 55543 Bad Kreuznach, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
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Wirestam L, Jönsson F, Enocsson H, Svensson C, Weiner M, Wetterö J, Zachrisson H, Eriksson P, Sjöwall C. Limited Association between Antibodies to Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein and Vascular Affection in Patients with Established Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108987. [PMID: 37240332 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to evaluate whether antibodies to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (anti-oxLDL) were associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with different SLE phenotypes (lupus nephritis, antiphospholipid syndrome, and skin and joint involvement). Anti-oxLDL was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 60 patients with SLE, 60 healthy controls (HCs) and 30 subjects with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Intima-media thickness (IMT) assessment of vessel walls and plaque occurrence were recorded using high-frequency ultrasound. In the SLE cohort, anti-oxLDL was again assessed in 57 of the 60 individuals approximately 3 years later. The levels of anti-oxLDL in the SLE group (median 5829 U/mL) were not significantly different from those in the HCs group (median 4568 U/mL), while patients with AAV showed significantly higher levels (median 7817 U/mL). The levels did not differ between the SLE subgroups. A significant correlation was found with IMT in the common femoral artery in the SLE cohort, but no association with plaque occurrence was observed. The levels of anti-oxLDL antibodies in the SLE group were significantly higher at inclusion compared to 3 years later (median 5707 versus 1503 U/mL, p < 0.0001). Overall, we found no convincing support for strong associations between vascular affection and anti-oxLDL antibodies in SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Wirestam
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Frida Jönsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Helena Enocsson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Christina Svensson
- Department of Clinical Physiology, University Hospital and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Maria Weiner
- Department of Nephrology in Linkoping, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Jonas Wetterö
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Helene Zachrisson
- Department of Clinical Physiology, University Hospital and Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Per Eriksson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Christopher Sjöwall
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection, Linkoping University, SE-581 85 Linkoping, Sweden
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Wang J, Guo HX, Cheng T, Shi L, Zhang SX, Li XF. Reduced circulating Tregs and positive pANCA were robustly associated with the occurrence of antiphospholipid syndrome in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus 2023; 32:746-755. [PMID: 37051771 DOI: 10.1177/09612033231171287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a typical chronic immune disorder with clinical heterogeneity. The systemic abnormal immune response not only challenges the diagnosis and treatment of the disease itself but also the secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), characterized by recurrent arterial or venous thrombosis, recurrent spontaneous abortion, or stillbirth. Clinical interest has primarily focused on primary APS's pathological and clinical features. However, differences in clinical features and laboratory indicators between SLE with or without APS are still lacking, especially differences between circulating lymphocytes, which are critical in the pathogenesis of SLE and its complications. METHODS In this retrospective study, we collected and analyzed clinical characteristics, general laboratory indicators, immunological indicators, and circulating lymphocyte subsets of SLE with or without APS. RESULTS Systemic lupus erythematosus with APS (SLE-APS) had elevated SLEDAI scores, hospitalization costs and time, and frequencies of central nervous system symptoms and spontaneous abortion compared with those without APS. SLE-APS had higher positive anti-Cardiolipin antibodies, anti-β2 Glycoprotein 1 antibodies, and perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) than none-APS patients. Compared with healthy controls (HCs), the circulating lymphocyte subsets were altered to some extent in all patients, especially in patients with SLE-APS. Reduced Tregs and positive pANCA were independent risk factors for SLE secondary APS. CONCLUSION The present study revealed a robust association between APS secondary to SLE and reduced Tregs and positive pANCA, which provides essential information regarding the diagnosis and therapeutic possibilities of APS secondary to SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wang
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, China
| | - Hong-Xia Guo
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ting Cheng
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, China
| | - Lei Shi
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Sheng-Xiao Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Li
- Department of Rheumatology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, China
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Drosos GC, Konstantonis G, Sfikakis PP, Tektonidou MG. Lipid management in systemic lupus erythematosus according to risk classifiers suggested by the European Society of Cardiology and disease-related risk factors reported by the EULAR recommendations. RMD Open 2023; 9:rmdopen-2022-002767. [PMID: 36759009 PMCID: PMC9923358 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology recommended that lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) should follow general population guidelines. We examined the eligibility for LLT in SLE according to Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), with and without the addition of vascular ultrasound (VUS) and disease-related features. METHODS 210 patients with SLE without prior cardiovascular events, diabetes or antiphospholipid syndrome underwent cardiovascular risk assessment with SCORE. LLT eligibility was evaluated in low-risk and moderate-risk patients following European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines. Atherosclerotic plaques on carotid ultrasound (cUS)) and carotid and femoral ultrasound (cfUS), prolonged disease duration (PDD, ≥10 years), failure to achieve lupus low disease activity state (LLDASno), cumulative glucocorticoid 'cardiovascular harm' dose (GCCVH, optimal cut-off to predict ultrasound-detected plaques) and antiphospholipid antibody positivity (aPLpos) were tested as SCORE risk enhancers for classification ability (phi coefficient) and agreement (Cohen's kappa) using SCORE plus cfUS as a reference modality for LLT eligibility. RESULTS Plaques were detected in 9.9% of low-risk cases and 54.6% of moderate-risk cases. SCORE alone would indicate 0% of low-risk patients and 3% of moderate-risk patients for LLT eligibility. According to SCORE+cfUS, 9.9% of low-risk patients and 57.6% of moderate-risk patients, respectively, would be eligible for LLT based on ESC guidelines. Ιn low-risk/moderate-risk patients, phi values for SCORE+PDD, GCCVH (cut-off ≥11 g), LLDASno and aPLpos in antiplatelet-naïve antiphospholipid antibody-positive (aPLpos/APT-) cases were 0.06/0.13, 0.23/0.20, 0.07/0.16 and 0.06/0.33, respectively. Agreement for LLT eligibility to SCORE+cfUS was better for SCORE+PDD in moderate-risk patients and for SCORE+cUS in both groups of patients. SCORE+GCCVH and SCORE+aPLpos showed at least fair agreement (kappa ≥0.20) to SCORE+cfUS in low-risk or moderate-risk and in aPLpos/APT- moderate-risk patients, respectively. CONCLUSION Disease-related and VUS features, in addition to SCORE, may help to improve LLT decision making in SLE. GCCVH and aPLpos improve LLT eligibility similarly and to a greater degree than PDD or LLDASno.
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Affiliation(s)
- George C Drosos
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - George Konstantonis
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros P Sfikakis
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece,Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic and Internal Medicine, Laiko Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece,Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- Cardiovascular Risk Research Laboratory, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece .,Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic and Internal Medicine, Laiko Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.,Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece
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Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular Disorders and COVID-19: Comorbid Pathogenesis. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13030478. [PMID: 36766583 PMCID: PMC9914751 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13030478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The article describes how atherosclerosis and coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) may affect each other. The features of this comorbid pathogenesis at various levels (vascular, cellular and molecular) are considered. A bidirectional influence of these conditions is described: the presence of cardiovascular diseases affects different individuals' susceptibility to viral infection. In turn, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can have a negative effect on the endothelium and cardiomyocytes, causing blood clotting, secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and thus exacerbating the development of atherosclerosis. In addition to the established entry into cells via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), other mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 entry are currently under investigation, for example, through CD147. Pathogenesis of comorbidity can be determined by the influence of the virus on various links which are meaningful for atherogenesis: generation of oxidized forms of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), launch of a cytokine storm, damage to the endothelial glycocalyx, and mitochondrial injury. The transformation of a stable plaque into an unstable one plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis complications and can be triggered by COVID-19. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 on large vessels such as the aorta is more complex than previously thought considering its impact on vasa vasorum. Current information on the mutual influence of the medicines used in the treatment of atherosclerosis and acute COVID-19 is briefly summarized.
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Bolla E, Tentolouris N, Sfikakis PP, Tektonidou MG. Metabolic syndrome in antiphospholipid syndrome versus rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes mellitus: Association with arterial thrombosis, cardiovascular risk biomarkers, physical activity, and coronary atherosclerotic plaques. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1077166. [PMID: 36700208 PMCID: PMC9868803 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1077166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the foremost cause of morbidity and deaths in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), driven by thrombo-inflammation and atherothrombosis mechanisms. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state characterized by increased CVD risk. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of MetS in APS patients compared to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and diabetes mellitus (DM) and its associations with clinical and laboratory patient characteristics and vascular ultrasound (US) markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods We included 414 patients in our study: 138 patients with APS (median age: 44.9 years, females 70%) and matched 1:1 for age and sex RA and DM subjects. Three sets of criteria were used for MetS diagnosis: Joint Interim Statement (JIS), International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII). The demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of all participants were recorded and carotid and femoral US was performed in patients with APS. Multivariate regression models were applied. Results Prevalence of MetS was 23.9%, 23.2%, 20.3% (based on JIS, IDF, modified NCEP-ATPIII criteria, respectively) in APS versus 17.4%, 17.4%, 13% in RA (p=0.181, p=0.231, p=0.106, respectively), and 44.2%, 44.2%, 40.6% in DM patients. In multivariate analysis, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus- related APS had an approximately 2.5-fold higher risk of MetS versus RA patients. MetS in APS was independently associated with arterial thrombosis (Odds ratio 3.5, p=0.030). Odds ratio for MetS was 1.16 for each one unit increase in C-reactive protein levels according to JIS and IDF criteria, and 1.49 and 1.47 for each one unit increase in uric acid levels using the IDF and modified NCEP-ATPIII models, respectively. APS patients with atherosclerotic carotid plaques had 4 to 6.5-fold increased risk of MetS. Odds for MetS were decreased by 26% with an increase in physical activity by one hour per week. Conclusions MetS is present in approximately one-fourth of APS patients at a comparable prevalence to that observed in patients with RA. MetS in APS is associated with arterial thrombosis, cardiovascular risk biomarkers, physical activity, and subclinical atherosclerosis, supporting its role in cardiovascular risk stratification and management in APS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleana Bolla
- Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Tentolouris
- Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros P. Sfikakis
- Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria G. Tektonidou
- Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, Athens, Greece,*Correspondence: Maria G. Tektonidou, ;
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Verrou KM, Sfikakis PP, Tektonidou MG. Whole blood transcriptome identifies interferon-regulated genes as key drivers in thrombotic primary antiphospholipid syndrome. J Autoimmun 2023; 134:102978. [PMID: 36587511 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pathogenesis of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) isn't fully elucidated. We aimed to identify gene signatures characterizing thrombotic primary APS (thrPAPS) and subgroups at high risk for worse outcomes. METHODS We performed whole blood next-generation RNA-sequencing in 62 patients with thrPAPS and 29 age-/sex-matched healthy controls (HCs), followed by differential gene expression analysis (DGEA) and enrichment analysis. We trained models on transcriptomics data using machine learning. RESULTS DGEA of 12.306 genes revealed 34 deregulated genes in thrPAPS versus HCs; 33 were upregulated by at least 2-fold, and 14/33 were type I and II interferon-regulated genes (IRGs) as determined by interferome database. Machine learning applied to deregulated genes returned 79% accuracy to discriminate thrPAPS from HCs, which increased to 82% when only the most informative IRGs were analyzed. Comparison of thrPAPS subgroups versus HCs showed an increased presence of IRGs among upregulated genes in venous thrombosis (21/23, 91%), triple-antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) positive (30/50, 60%), and recurrent thrombosis (19/42, 45%) subgroups. Enrichment analysis of upregulated genes in triple-aPL positive patients revealed terms related to 'type I interferon signaling pathway' and 'innate immune response'. DGEA among thrPAPS subgroups revealed upregulated genes, including IRGs, in patients with venous versus arterial thrombosis (n = 11, 9 IRGs), triple-aPL versus non-triple aPL (n = 10, 9 IRGs), and recurrent versus non-recurrent thrombosis (n = 10, 3 IRGs). CONCLUSION Upregulated IRGs may better discriminate thrPAPS from HCs than all deregulated genes in peripheral blood. Taken together with DGEA data, IRGs are highly expressed in thrPAPS and high-risk subgroups of triple-aPL and recurrent thrombosis, with potential treatment implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kleio-Maria Verrou
- Center of New Biotechnologies & Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros P Sfikakis
- Center of New Biotechnologies & Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria G Tektonidou
- Rheumatology Unit, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Academic Rheumatology Program, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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Coenzyme Q10: Role in Less Common Age-Related Disorders. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11112293. [DOI: 10.3390/antiox11112293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article we have reviewed the potential role of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in the pathogenesis and treatment of a number of less common age-related disorders, for many of which effective therapies are not currently available. For most of these disorders, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation have been implicated in the disease process, providing a rationale for the potential therapeutic use of CoQ10, because of its key roles in mitochondrial function, as an antioxidant, and as an anti-inflammatory agent. Disorders reviewed in the article include multi system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, sporadic adult onset ataxia, and pulmonary fibrosis, together with late onset versions of Huntington’s disease, Alexander disease, lupus, anti-phospholipid syndrome, lysosomal storage disorders, fibromyalgia, Machado-Joseph disease, acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, and Leber’s optic neuropathy.
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Zhang J, Lu L, Tian X, Wang K, Xie G, Li H, Wen C, Hu C. Lipidomics Revealed Aberrant Lipid Metabolism Caused by Inflammation in Cardiac Tissue in the Early Stage of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Murine Model. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12050415. [PMID: 35629919 PMCID: PMC9146605 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12050415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac involvement, displayed as premature cardiovascular disease (CVD), is one of common clinical symptoms of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), contributing to mortality of the disease. The precise underlying pathological mechanism(s) for the cardiac involvement in lupus remains poorly understood. Lipids and their metabolites are directly involved in atherosclerosis development, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which are closely related to the development of CVD. In the study, shotgun lipidomics was exploited to quantitatively analyze cellular lipidomes in the cardiac tissue of MRL/lpr mice at two different time points (i.e., pre-lupus and lupus state) with/without treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs). Urine protein, spleen index, and renal histopathological evaluation of the mice were also performed for assessment of SLE onset and/or outcome. Lipidomics analysis revealed that the deposition of cholesterol and the aberrant metabolism of lipids caused by the increased energy metabolism and the enhanced activation of phospholipases, both of which were originally induced by inflammation, were already present in cardiac tissues from lupus-prone mice even at pre-lupus state. These lipid alterations could further induce inflammation and autoimmune responses, accelerating the process of CVD. In addition, the present study also demonstrated that GCs therapy could not only delay the progression of SLE, but also partially corrected these alterations of lipid species in cardiac tissue due to their anti-inflammatory effect. Thus, the medications with better anti-inflammatory effect might be a useful therapeutic method for premature CVD of SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jida Zhang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China; (J.Z.); (X.T.); (K.W.); (G.X.); (H.L.)
| | - Lu Lu
- Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China;
| | - Xiaoyu Tian
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China; (J.Z.); (X.T.); (K.W.); (G.X.); (H.L.)
| | - Kaili Wang
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China; (J.Z.); (X.T.); (K.W.); (G.X.); (H.L.)
| | - Guanqun Xie
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China; (J.Z.); (X.T.); (K.W.); (G.X.); (H.L.)
| | - Haichang Li
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China; (J.Z.); (X.T.); (K.W.); (G.X.); (H.L.)
| | - Chengping Wen
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China; (J.Z.); (X.T.); (K.W.); (G.X.); (H.L.)
- Correspondence: (C.W.); (C.H.)
| | - Changfeng Hu
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Bingwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, China; (J.Z.); (X.T.); (K.W.); (G.X.); (H.L.)
- Correspondence: (C.W.); (C.H.)
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Bucci T, Ames PR, Cammisotto V, Bartimoccia S, Triggiani M, Parente R, Ciampa A, Pignatelli P, Carnevale R, Pastori D. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels in primary antiphospholipid syndrome. The multicenter ATHERO-APS study. J Autoimmun 2022; 129:102832. [PMID: 35512480 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is emerging as a novel cardiovascular risk factor. Levels of PCSK9 in thrombotic primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) have never been investigated. METHODS Cross sectional comparison of baseline characteristics of 91 PAPS patients enrolled in the multicenter prospective ATHERO-APS cohort study. PCSK9 levels were categorized into tertiles and the association with arterial and recurrent thrombosis were assessed by univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Median age was 51 years and 71.4% (n = 65) were women. Overall, 33% (n = 30) experienced an arterial event while 31% (n = 28) had recurrent thrombotic events. Median PCSK9 levels were 1243 (1100-1650) pg/ml. Patients in the third PCSK9 tertile (>1458 pg/ml) showed a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia, lupus anticoagulant positivity and a history of previous arterial and recurrent thrombosis than patients in the first and second tertile. PCSK9 levels were higher in arterial than venous thrombosis (1502 vs. 1180 pg/ml, p = 0.002), and in patients with recurrent vs isolated thrombosis (1680 vs. 1150 pg/m, p < 0.001). High plasma PCSK9 levels were associated with a 4-fold increase risk for arterial events and with a 10-fold increase risk for recurrent thrombosis after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSION These preliminary data suggest that PCSK9 levels are increased in PAPS patients with arterial and recurrent thrombosis. Its role as a possible therapeutic target in PAPS needs further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Bucci
- Department of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties "Paride Stefanini", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Paul Rj Ames
- Immune Response and Vascular Disease Unit, CEDOC, Nova University Lisbon, Rua Camara Pestana, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Haematology, Dumfries Royal Infirmary, Cargenbridge, Dumfries, UK
| | - Vittoria Cammisotto
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Simona Bartimoccia
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Triggiani
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Salerno, Italy
| | - Roberta Parente
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Salerno, Italy
| | | | - Pasquale Pignatelli
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberto Carnevale
- Department of Medical-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy
| | - Daniele Pastori
- Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiological and Cardiovascular Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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Liu L, Liu L, Zhang L, Huang P, Dang X, Shuai L, Li X, Li Y, Mao D, Wu X, Cao Y. Case Report: A case of recurrent thrombosis in pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome associated with pediatric onset systemic lupus. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:1004053. [PMID: 36819195 PMCID: PMC9932912 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.1004053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with multi-system involvement as the main manifestation, and has complex and diverse clinical features. Studies on large samples have revealed that SLE patients have a significantly increased risk of thrombotic events, which are also one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in SLE patients. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by recurrent arterial and venous thrombosis, pregnancy-related complications, and the persistence of antiphospholipid antibodies at a 12-week interval. There are few reports about SLE coexisting with APS in children. This paper reported a school-age patient who started the disease with gross hematuria after bumping into the waist. The initial diagnosis of renal contusion was then confirmed by color Doppler ultrasound as renal vein and inferior vena cava embolism. She suddenly developed severe chest pain and dyspnea 3 days after hospitalization. And imaging supported pulmonary embolism with massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and hypercholesterolemia. The initial diagnosis was nephrotic syndrome (NS) with arteriovenous embolization, and popliteal vein embolism occurred again 5 years later, and she was thus diagnosed with SLE coexisting with APS. Afterwards, we discussed the possible mechanism and therapeutic strategies of SLE&APS that started with nephrotic syndrome, in order to achieve early identification and treatment of the disease and improve the prognosis of children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingjuan Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liqun Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiqiang Dang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Nephrology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Lanjun Shuai
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Nephrology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xingfang Li
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yongzhen Li
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Nephrology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Dingan Mao
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Neurology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaochuan Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Nephrology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yan Cao
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Pediatric Nephrology, patientren's Medical Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China
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