Graves' disease during immune reconstitution in HIV-infected patients treated with HAART

Thyroid Eye Disease due to Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome as a Consequence of Antiretroviral Therapy in the Setting of AIDS

We describe a case of worsening Graves' orbitopathy due to immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in a 38-year-old HIV-infected male after beginning ART (antiretroviral therapy). Two years after initiation of ART, the patient developed symptoms of hyperthyroidism and thyroid eye disease (TED) or Graves' orbitopathy (GO). Thyroid iodine uptake scan was consistent with Graves' disease. The CT scan of the orbits revealed minimal right-sided proptosis, consistent with GO. He was treated with methimazole and a short course of high-dose prednisone for GO. Thyroid function tests normalized, and eye symptoms eventually stabilized. This case demonstrates the importance of awareness and early recognition of IRIS in its many forms, as it has significant therapeutic implications.

HIV infection associated neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: Clinical features, imaging findings, management and outcomes

INTRODUCTION

HIV Infection associated NMOSD (HIV-NMOSD) is a recently recognized entity. Management of patients with HIV-NMOSD is a challenge. Here we report our own experience of HIV-NMOSD along with a complete review of all the cases of HIV-NMOSD reported in literature.

OBJECTIVE

Describe the clinical features, radiological findings, treatment patterns and outcomes in patients with HIV-NMOSD.

METHODS

The details of all cases of HIV- NMOSD were searched from our NMOSD registry. A literature search was also done using the terms NMO, NMOSD and HIV infection in PUBMED, Google Scholar and EMBASE. The details of all the reported cases and cases from our registry were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Six cases of HIV-NMOSD were identified from the literature and one from our registry. There were four males and three females with age ranging from 8 years to 49 years. Duration of HIV infection ranged from newly detected to 15 years. Optic neuritis followed by myelitis was the commonest presentation, occurring in 5 out of 7 patients. 3 patients were anti-aquaporin 4 antibody positive while 3 were negative and in one anti- aquaporin 4 antibody assay was not done. All patients received immunomodulatory treatment. 5/7 patients had poor recovery from acute attacks but no patient had further relapses while on immunomodulatory treatment and antiretroviral therapy.

CONCLUSION

HIV associated NMOSD is a recently recognized entity. A high index of suspicion is needed to diagnose these patients. In all patients with HIV infection presenting with optic neuritis or/and myelitis, anti aquaporin 4 antibody status should be checked and in all patients of NMOSD, HIV infection should be ruled out.

Increased concentration of T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (TREC) in peripheral blood in Graves' disease

BACKGROUND

T-cell receptor rearrangement excision circles (TREC) are circular DNA molecules generated during T-cell maturation in the thymus. Recent studies suggested that a decreased TREC concentration in peripheral blood may be a general feature of autoimmunity. Our purpose was to assess the TREC concentration in Graves' disease (GD).

METHODS

TREC concentration was assessed by real time PCR in DNA samples isolated from peripheral blood leucocytes among younger (n = 94, age range 6-29 years) and older patients with GD (n = 93, age range 57-80 years) and age-matched controls (n = 206).

RESULTS

TREC concentration decreased with age in all subjects, but it was significantly higher in GD compared with controls (P = 9·4 × 10(-10) ). TREC concentration was higher (P = 0·0038) in hyperthyroid (n = 78) than euthyroid (n = 82) patients with GD, but in both groups, it remained increased relative to controls (P = 2·2 × 10(-11) and P = 4·4 ×10(-7) , respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with GD, particularly those with hyperthyroidism, have increased concentration of TREC which may suggest increased rather than decreased thymic activity. Thus, GD does not follow the paradigm suggested for other autoimmune disorders which links autoimmunity with thymic senescence.

Graves' disease as immune reconstitution disease in HIV-positive patients is associated with naive and primary thymic emigrant CD4(+) T-cell recovery

OBJECTIVE

Immune restoration disease (IRD) can develop in HIV-infected patients following antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation as unmasking or paradoxical worsening of opportunistic infections and, rarely, autoimmune phenomena. Although IRD usually occurs in the first months of ART during memory CD4 T-cell recovery, Graves' disease occurs as a distinctive late-onset IRD and its pathogenesis is unclear.

DESIGN

Seven patients who developed Graves' disease following ART initiation from the primary HIV care clinic at the National Institutes of Health were retrospectively identified and each was matched with two HIV-infected controls based on age, sex, and baseline CD4 T-cell count. Laboratory evaluations on stored cryopreserved samples were performed.

METHODS

Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) analysis in PBMCs, measurement of serum cytokines, and luciferase immunoprecipitation systems (LIPS) analysis for autoimmune antibodies were performed on stored samples for cases and controls at baseline and longitudinally following ART initiation. TSH/thyrotropin receptor (TSH-R) antibody testing was performed on serum from cases. Data were analyzed using nonparametric testing.

RESULTS

In comparison with controls, the proportion of naive CD4 T cells increased significantly (P = 0.0027) in the Graves' disease-IRD patients. TREC/10 PBMCs also increased significantly following ART in Graves' disease-IRD patients compared with controls (P = 0.0071). Similarly, LIPS analysis demonstrated increases in nonthyroid-related autoantibody titers over time following ART in cases compared with controls.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that Graves' disease-IRD, in contrast to early-onset IRD, is associated with naive and primary thymic emigrant CD4 T-cell recovery and inappropriate autoantibody production.

HIV and thyroid dysfunction

Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are associated with dysfunction of many endocrine organs and their axis. HIV infectivity leads to altered metabolism, poor oral intake and increased prevalence of weight loss and wasting which may have a role in thyroid dysfunction. Overt thyroid dysfunction occurs at similar rates as the general population while subclinical disease such as nonthyroidal illness (sick euthyroid syndrome), subclinical hypothyroidism and isolated low T4 levels are more frequent. Moreover, HAART therapy can complicate thyroid function further through drug interactions and the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). In this review we report the common thyroid dysfunctions associated with HIV before and after HAART therapy. We discuss presentation, diagnostic work up, treatment and follow up in each condition.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome manifesting as development of multiple autoimmune disorders and skin cancer progression

We report the case of a 56-year-old man with the rare autoimmune pathologies of alternating hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism due to thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies, and rheumatoid arthritis as manifestations of a human immunodeficiency virus-related immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. The patient also developed overt progression of a pre-existing skin malignancy that may also be related. This case highlights immune reconstitution syndrome as an important differential diagnosis following antiretroviral therapy commencement, and that a high index of suspicion should be maintained for this rare but important cluster of conditions. Furthermore, the patient's genetic predisposition to autoimmunity provides helpful insights into the pathogenesis of these disorders.

HIV & immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS)

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in HIV-infected patients leads to recovery of CD4+T cell numbers and restoration of protective immune responses against a wide variety of pathogens, resulting in reduction in the frequency of opportunistic infections and prolonged survival. However, in a subset of patients, dysregulated immune response after initiation of ART leads to the phenomenon of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). The hallmark of the syndrome is paradoxical worsening of an existing infection or disease process or appearance of a new infection/disease process soon after initiation of therapy. The overall incidence of IRIS is unknown, but is dependent on the population studied and the burden of underlying opportunistic infections. The immunopathogenesis of the syndrome is unclear and appears to be result of unbalanced reconstitution of effector and regulatory T-cells, leading to exuberant inflammatory response in patients receiving ART. Biomarkers, including interferon-γ (INF-γ), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP) and inter leukin (IL)-2, 6 and 7, are subject of intense investigation at present. The commonest forms of IRIS are associated with mycobacterial infections, fungi and herpes viruses. Majority of patients with IRIS have a self-limiting disease course. ART is usually continued and treatment for the associated condition optimized. The overall mortality associated with IRIS is low; however, patients with central nervous system involvement with raised intracranial pressures in cryptococcal and tubercular meningitis, and respiratory failure due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have poor prognosis and require aggressive management including corticosteroids. Paradigm shifts in management of HIV with earlier initiation of ART is expected to decrease the burden of IRIS in developed countries; however, with enhanced rollout of ART in recent years and the enormous burden of opportunistic infections in developing countries like India, IRIS is likely to remain an area of major concern.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome: incidence and implications for mortality

OBJECTIVE

To describe incidence of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) and its association with mortality in a large multisite US HIV-infected cohort applying an objective, comprehensive definition.

DESIGN

We studied 2,610 patients seen during 1996-2007 who initiated or resumed highly active combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and, during the next 6 months, demonstrated a decline in plasma HIV-RNA viral load of at least 0.5 log(10) copies/ml or an increase of at least 50% in CD4 cell count per microliter. We defined IRIS as the diagnosis of a type B or C condition [as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1993 AIDS case definition] or any new mucocutaneous disorder during this same 6-month period.

METHODS

We assessed the incidence of IRIS and evaluated risk factors for IRIS using conditional logistic regression and for all-cause mortality using proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

We identified 370 cases of IRIS (in 276 patients). Median and nadir CD4 cell counts at cART initiation were 90 and 43 cells/μl, respectively; median viral load was 2.7 log(10) copies/ml. The most common IRIS-defining diagnoses were candidiasis (all forms), cytomegalovirus infection, disseminated Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, Pneumocystis pneumonia, varicella zoster, Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Only one case of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was observed. IRIS was independently associated with CD4 cell count less than 50 cells/μl vs. at least 200 cells/μl [odds ratio (OR) 5.0] and a viral load of at least 5.0 log(10) copies vs. less than 4.0 log(10) copies (OR 2.3). IRIS with a type B-defining or type C-defining diagnosis approximately doubled the risk for all-cause mortality.

CONCLUSION

In this large US-based HIV-infected cohort, IRIS occurred in 10.6% of patients who responded to effective ART and contributed to increased mortality.

Selective expansion of polyfunctional pathogen-specific CD4(+) T cells in HIV-1-infected patients with immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome

Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapies (ART), the prognosis for HIV-1 patients has improved immensely. However, approximately 25% of patients can experience a variety of inflammatory symptoms that are collectively known as immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Studying the etiology and immunopathology of IRIS has been hampered by the fact that the symptoms and associated opportunistic infections are highly varied. We hypothesized that there is a common mechanism underlying IRIS pathogenesis and investigated a patient group with IRIS related to different pathogens. Functional and phenotypic characterization of PBMC samples was performed by polychromatic flow cytometry after in vitro stimulation with relevant antigenic preparations. In most patients, IRIS events were characterized by the robust increase of preexisting polyfunctional, highly differentiated effector CD4(+) T-cell responses that specifically targeted the antigens of the underlying co-infection. T-cell responses to HIV-1 or other underlying infections were not affected and did not differ between IRIS and non-IRIS patients. These data suggest that patients with IRIS do not have a generalized T-cell dysfunction; instead, IRIS represents a dysregulated CD4(+) T-cell response against residual opportunistic infection antigen. These studies were registered at www.clinical-trials.gov as NCT00557570 and NCT00286767.

Graves' Disease as a Manifestation of Immune Reconstitution in HIV-Infected Individuals after Initiation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Graves' disease after the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in certain HIV-1-infected individuals has been described as an immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). This phenomenon should be suspected in individuals who present with clinical deterioration and a presentation suggestive of hyperthyroidism despite good virological and immunological response to HAART. Signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism may be discrete or overt and typically develop 8–33 months after initiating therapy. One to two percent of HIV-infected patients can present with overt thyroid disease. Relatively few cases of Graves' IRIS have been reported in the literature to date. We describe four cases of Graves' IRIS in HIV-infected patients who were started on HAART therapy.

Autoimmune diabetes in HIV-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy

CONTEXT

Various autoimmune diseases, especially autoimmune thyroid disease, are known to occur in HIV-infected patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). However, no reports have described the development of autoimmune diabetes during HAART.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to investigate the clinical course of the development of autoantibodies and diabetes during HAART.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Based on their high antiislet autoantibody titers and requirement for insulin therapy, we diagnosed three HIV-infected patients with autoimmune diabetes. To clarify the relationship between the development of an autoimmune reaction against pancreatic beta-cells and recovery of CD4+ T lymphocyte (CD4) counts, we retrospectively assayed stored samples of the patients' plasma for antiglutamic acid decarboxylase antibody (GAD-Ab).

RESULTS

No GAD-Ab was detected in the plasma samples of any of the three patients prior to HAART, and their CD4 counts were below 20 cells/microl at their nadir. The GAD-Ab tests became positive from 6 to 38 months after the start of HAART, and their conversion to positive followed a dramatic increase in the patients' CD4 count. Two patients developed diabetes after testing positive for GAD-Ab. Although one patient had mild diabetes prior to testing positive for GAD-Ab, the rapid worsening of glycemic control and introduction of insulin therapy almost coincided with the detection of GAD-Ab. The high magnitude of the CD4 increase during HAART and the timing of the detection of autoantibody were similar to the magnitude and timing reported in HAART-associated autoimmune thyroid disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Autoimmune diabetes develops in some HIV-infected patients after immune restoration during HAART.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) must be considered in the differential diagnosis for any patient infected with HIV who has begun ART in the preceding months. Distinguishing between manifestations of IRIS and active infection is of paramount importance and poses a diagnostic challenge to the provider in the acute care setting. Presentations of IRIS are often atypical for the precipitating pathogen, and novel presentations are likely. Of the diseases associated with IRIS, mycobacteria and cryptococcal infections are commonly encountered, as are dermatologic symptoms in general. The most clinically significant complications of IRIS are those involving the central nervous system, lungs, and eye, and in many of these scenarios systemic steroids may be of benefit. Management should rarely include interruption of ART, except possibly in severe, life-threatening complications.

Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy : pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and management

The use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to treat HIV infection, by restoring CD4+ cell count and immune function, is associated with significant reductions in morbidity and mortality. Soon after ART initiation, there is a rapid phase of restoration of pathogen-specific immunity. In certain patients, this results in inflammatory responses that may result in clinical deterioration known as 'the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome' (IRIS). IRIS may be targeted at viable infective antigens, dead or dying infective antigens, host antigens, tumour antigens and other antigens, giving rise to a heterogeneous range of clinical manifestations. The commonest forms of IRIS are associated with mycobacterial infections, fungi and herpes viruses. In most patients, ART should be continued and treatment for the associated condition optimized, and there is anecdotal evidence for the use of corticosteroids in patients who are severely affected. In this review, we discuss research relating to pathogenesis, the range of clinical manifestations, treatment options and prevention issues.

Autoimmune thyroid diseases

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Interesting clinical and basic studies have been published in the field of autoimmune thyroiditis (represented by Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis) since January 2005. The review is organized into four main areas: genetics, environment, adaptive immune system, and innate immune system.

RECENT FINDINGS

The quest continues for the identification of susceptibility genes for autoimmune thyroiditis. In addition to the classical major histocompatibility complex class II genes and cytotoxic T cell antigen-4, new studies have appeared on CD40 the protein tyrosine phosphatase-22. Too much iodine increases the incidence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, perhaps by augmenting the antigenicity of thyroglobulin. T regulatory cells, Toll-like receptors and presentation of lipid antigens by CD1 molecules are new areas of basic immunological investigation that have been applied to autoimmune thyroiditis.

SUMMARY

Overall, the studies have greatly expanded our understanding of the pathogenesis of thyroiditis. They have opened new lines of investigations that will ultimately result in a better clinical practice.