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Ezeh N, Ardalan K, Buhr KA, Nguyen C, Al Ahmed O, Ardoin SP, Barton V, Bell S, Brandling-Bennett H, Castelo-Soccio L, Chiu YE, Chong BF, Lara-Corrales I, Cintosun A, Curran ML, Diaz LZ, Elman SA, Faith EF, Garcia-Romero MT, Grossman-Kranseler J, Hogeling M, Hudson AD, Hunt RD, Ibler EM, Marques MC, Monir RL, Oza V, Paller AS, Putterman E, Rodriguez-Salgado P, Schoch JJ, Truong A, Wang J, Lee LW, Vleugels RA, Klein-Gitelman MS, von Scheven E, Werth VP, Arkin LM. Cross-Sectional Characteristics of Pediatric-Onset Discoid Lupus Erythematosus: Results of a Multicenter, Retrospective Cohort Study. J Am Acad Dermatol 2022; 87:559-566. [PMID: 35487332 PMCID: PMC10082546 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2022.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
• Discoid lupus may be associated with SLE. In this study, most children with discoid lupus did not have systemic disease. Concurrent SLE was highest in female adolescents (>10 years of age) with generalized discoid lupus, who had clinically aggressive disease. • Discoid lupus in adolescence should prompt thorough evaluation for SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Ezeh
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - K Ardalan
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine/Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - K A Buhr
- Department of Biostatistics & Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - C Nguyen
- University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - O Al Ahmed
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital/Ohio State University, Columbus OH
| | - S P Ardoin
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital/Ohio State University, Columbus OH
| | - V Barton
- Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - S Bell
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Rheumatology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - H Brandling-Bennett
- Division of Dermatology; Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - L Castelo-Soccio
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Y E Chiu
- Departments of Dermatology (Section of Pediatric Dermatology) and Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - B F Chong
- Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy/Immunology/Rheumatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI
| | - I Lara-Corrales
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Dermatology, The Hospital for Sick Children/University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
| | - A Cintosun
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Dermatology, The Hospital for Sick Children/University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
| | - M L Curran
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Rheumatology, Children's Hospital Colorado/University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
| | - L Z Diaz
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Dermatology, Dell Medical School/Dell Children's Hospital, Austin, TX
| | - S A Elman
- Department of Dermatology, Boston's Children Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - E Fernandez Faith
- Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital/Ohio State University, Columbus OH
| | - M T Garcia-Romero
- Department of Dermatology, National Institute for Pediatrics, Mexico City, MX
| | - J Grossman-Kranseler
- Division of Dermatology; Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - M Hogeling
- Department of Dermatology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - A D Hudson
- Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - R D Hunt
- Department of Dermatology and Pediatrics, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX
| | - E M Ibler
- Departments of Dermatology (Section of Pediatric Dermatology) and Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - M C Marques
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - R L Monir
- Department of Dermatology, University of Florida School of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
| | - V Oza
- Departments of Pediatrics and Dermatology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - A S Paller
- Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine/Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - E Putterman
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Dermatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - P Rodriguez-Salgado
- Department of Dermatology, National Institute for Pediatrics, Mexico City, MX
| | - J J Schoch
- Department of Dermatology, University of Florida School of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
| | - A Truong
- Department of Dermatology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - J Wang
- Departments of Pediatrics and Dermatology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - L Wine Lee
- Department of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - R A Vleugels
- Department of Dermatology, Boston's Children Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - M S Klein-Gitelman
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine/Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - E von Scheven
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Rheumatology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - V P Werth
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA
| | - L M Arkin
- Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI.
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Jones JT, DiFrancesco M, Zaal AI, Klein-Gitelman MS, Gitelman D, Ying J, Brunner HI. Childhood-onset lupus with clinical neurocognitive dysfunction shows lower streamline density and pairwise connectivity on diffusion tensor imaging. Lupus 2015; 24:1081-6. [PMID: 25701565 DOI: 10.1177/0961203315572718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The objective of this report is to use diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) for investigating white-matter connectivity changes associated with neurocognitive dysfunction in childhood-onset lupus (cSLE-NCD) as measured by formal neuropsychological testing. METHODS DTI was performed in six individuals with (cSLE-NCD) and nine without neurocognitive dysfunction (cSLE-noNCD) as well as 14 healthy controls. Presence of neurocognitive deficits was identified by formal neuropsychological testing. The brain was divided into 116 regions, and pairwise connectivity (defined as the number of streamlines with an endpoint in each of those regions) and streamline density (defined as the number of streamlines passing through a region regardless of endpoints) were evaluated. Group comparisons were made for regional and global measures of streamline density and pairwise connectivity. RESULTS A significant decrease in global streamline density was observed in the cSLE-NCD vs. control group (1189 vs. 1305 p = 0.002) and vs. cSLE-noNCD (1189 vs 1320 p = 0.001). The cSLE-noNCD and control groups had similar streamline density. A similar pattern for pairwise connectivity was observed with a significant decrease in the cSLE-NCD group (217) versus the cSLE-noNCD (236; p = 0.013) and control group (238; p = 0.004). Regional measures of pairwise connectivity displayed mixed results. CONCLUSIONS The analysis of DTI in this pilot study shows cSLE-NCD is associated with global loss of streamline density and pairwise connectivity, suggesting breakdown of the structural network. These results complement previously reported functional and volumetric findings that suggest cSLE-NCD is associated with measurable changes in gray and white matter. If confirmed in larger cohorts, DTI abnormalities could be used as imaging biomarkers of cSLE-NCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- J T Jones
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - M DiFrancesco
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA Pediatric Neuroimaging Research Consortium, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - A I Zaal
- Division of Rheumatology-Immunology, Children's Hospital of Damascus University, Damascus, Syria
| | - M S Klein-Gitelman
- Division of Rheumatology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - D Gitelman
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - J Ying
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - H I Brunner
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Mina R, Klein-Gitelman MS, Nelson S, Eberhard BA, Higgins G, Singer NG, Onel K, Tucker L, O'Neil KM, Punaro M, Levy DM, Haines K, Ying J, Brunner HI. Effects of obesity on health-related quality of life in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus 2014; 24:191-7. [PMID: 25335488 DOI: 10.1177/0961203314555537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the effects of obesity on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (jSLE). METHODS Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 95 th percentile according to the Sex-specific Center for Disease Control BMI-For-Age Charts and determined in a multicenter cohort of jSLE patients. In this secondary analysis, the domain and summary scores of the Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) Inventory and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) of obese jSLE patients were compared to those of non-obese jSLE patients as well as historical obese and non-obese healthy controls. Mixed-effects modeling was performed to evaluate the relationship between obesity and HRQOL measures. RESULTS Among the 202 jSLE patients, 25% (n = 51) were obese. Obesity had a significant negative impact on HRQOL in jSLE, even after adjusting for differences in current corticosteroid use, disease activity, disease damage, gender and race between groups. Obese jSLE patients had lower physical functioning compared to non-obese jSLE patients, and to non-obese and obese healthy controls. Compared to their non-obese counterparts, obese jSLE patients also had worse school functioning, more pain, worse social functioning and emotional functioning. Parents of obese jSLE patients worry more. The CHQ scores for obese jSLE patients were also worse compared to non-obese jSLE patients in several other domains. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates the detrimental effects of obesity on patient-reported outcomes in jSLE. This supports the importance of weight management for the therapeutic plan of jSLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Mina
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - M S Klein-Gitelman
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - S Nelson
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - B A Eberhard
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of NY, New York, USA
| | - G Higgins
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - N G Singer
- Division of Rheumatology, MetroHealth Medical Center & Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - K Onel
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - L Tucker
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - K M O'Neil
- Section of Rheumatology, Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - M Punaro
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - D M Levy
- Division of Rheumatology, Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - K Haines
- Section of Pediatric Rheumatology & Immunology, Joseph M. Sanzari Children's Hospital, Hackensack UMC, Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - J Ying
- University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - H I Brunner
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Brunner HI, Klein-Gitelman MS, Ying J, Tucker LB, Silverman ED. Corticosteroid use in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus-practice patterns at four pediatric rheumatology centers. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2009; 27:155-162. [PMID: 19327245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate corticosteroid prescribing patterns in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), comparing four academic pediatric rheumatology practices. METHODS Patients with childhood-onset SLE (n=72) treated at four large pediatric rheumatology centers were studied at 3-month intervals for 18 months. Information on medication use, disease activity as measured by the SLEDAI and the SLAM; and disease damage by the SLICC/ACR Damage Index was collected. RESULTS At the time of enrollment, patients at each center were similar for disease duration, age, frequency of renal involvement and disease damage. Prednisone (mean 9 mg/day) was continued during 72% of periods of inactive disease for at least 3 months (SLEDAI=0). Centers differed in the use of intravenous pulse methylprednisolone (p<0.0001). Even when adjusted for between-center differences in patient weight, race and disease activity, centers also significantly differed in the dose of prednisone (p<0.05). The center with the largest between-patient variability in the dose of prednisone prescribed to its patients showed the smallest between-patient variance in patient disease activity. CONCLUSIONS Corticosteroids are commonly used for the treatment of childhood-onset SLE, even when the disease is inactive. There appears to be important between-center differences in the use of intravenous and oral corticosteroids for childhood-onset SLE therapy that cannot be explained by patient disease activity corticosteroid prescribing patterns influence disease control. Further studies are needed to determine whether differences in practice patterns lead to significant differences in longer-term disease outcomes with childhood-onset SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- H I Brunner
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, USA.
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Brunner HI, Jones OY, Lovell DJ, Johnson AM, Alexander P, Klein-Gitelman MS. Lupus headaches in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: relationship to disease activity as measured by the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) and disease damage. Lupus 2005; 12:600-6. [PMID: 12945718 DOI: 10.1191/0961203303lu430oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) is the most commonly used measure of disease activity for children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). For headaches to be scored in the SLEDAI as a symptom of active disease, they have to be nonresponsive to narcotic analgesia. This may affect the overall estimation of disease activity, especially because headaches are common among children with SLE and narcotic analgesia is rarely used for headache therapy in paediatrics. Moreover, the importance of headaches for the development of damage and their relation to other clinical parameters and outcomes has not been well described for children with SLE. We reviewed the medical charts of an inception cohort of children (n = 63) who were newly diagnosed with SLE. Information on headaches and other disease parameters was obtained. Disease activity and damage were measured using the SLEDAI and the Systemic Lupus International Collaboration Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI), respectively. It has been shown that the accumulated burden of active disease as measured by serial SLEDAI scores over time is one of the best predictors of eventual damage to children with SLE. New-onset or significant increase of severe and/or persistent headaches (LHA) were reported in 43% of the patients during a mean follow-up of 3.6 years. LHA occurred preferentially among patients with elevated levels of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) (P < 0.02) and only 6% of all LHA episodes were treated with narcotics and thus considered for the measurement of disease activity in the SLEDAI. LHA were unrelated to proxy-measures of disease activity, such as the need to intensify therapies. When used in children, the insensitivity of the SLEDAI to capture LHA did not seem to decrease the responsiveness of the SLEDAI to detect clinically important worsening of disease, or negatively impact on its ability to predict damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- H I Brunner
- William Rowe Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati 45229-3039, USA.
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Klein-Gitelman MS, Waters T, Pachman LM. The economic impact of intermittent high-dose intravenous versus oral corticosteroid treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2003; 13:360-8. [PMID: 14635311 DOI: 10.1002/1529-0131(200012)13:6<360::aid-art5>3.0.co;2-q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To perform a cost-identification and cost-effectiveness analysis comparing oral corticosteroids (OCS) with high-dose intermittent intravenous corticosteroid (IVCS) regimens in the treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). METHODS Children previously diagnosed and treated for JDM (without myositis-specific or myositis-associated autoantibodies) at a single medical center by a single provider were identified. Two treatment protocols were compared: OCS and IVCS. Data on initial disease severity, time to remission, resource use, and costs generated were collected from patient records. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICE) were constructed. RESULTS Patients treated with IVCS achieved median remission 2 years earlier at median increased cost of $13,736. The ICE ratio comparing IVCS to OCS is $6,868 per year of disease avoided. CONCLUSION This study suggests that, although IVCS treatments are costly, they are cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Klein-Gitelman
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Klein-Gitelman MS, Pachman LM. Intravenous corticosteroids: adverse reactions are more variable than expected in children. J Rheumatol 1998; 25:1995-2002. [PMID: 9779857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency and severity of adverse reactions associated with high dose intermittent intravenous corticosteroids (IVCS) in children with rheumatic disease. METHODS Prospective documentation of adverse reactions associated with IVCS given to 213 pediatric rheumatology patients over a 4 year period. RESULTS Forty-six of the 213 children (22%) reported an adverse reaction. The 46 patients received 2622 doses of IVCS. Twenty-one patients (10% of all patients studied) had behavioral changes, including altered mood (14), hyperactivity (4), psychosis (2), disorientation (1), and sleep disturbances (3). Nonbehavioral adverse reactions included headache (5.2%), abdominal complaints (4.7%), pruritus (4.2%), vomiting (3.8%), hives (2.3%), hypertension (2.3%), bone pain (1.5%), dizziness (1.5%), fatigue (1%), lethargy (1%), hypotension (1%), tachycardia (1%), hyperglycemia (1%), fracture (1%), tremor (0.5%), anaphylaxis (0.5%), ulcer (0.5%), and "gray appearance" (0.5%). Using chi-squared analysis, there were no statistical differences in ethnicity (p = 0.54) or diagnosis (p = 0.46) between patient groups, with or without adverse reactions. There was a significant statistical association between history of drug induced cutaneous reaction and adverse reactions to IVCS (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION IVCS are associated with a spectrum of adverse reactions in children with rheumatic disease, of which volatile behavior is the most frequent. Children with a history of drug induced cutaneous reaction are more likely to have an adverse reaction to IVCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Klein-Gitelman
- Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL, USA
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Abstract
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) of childhood is a complex and challenging disease which can occur at any age. Identification of disease early in it's course and aggressive, appropriate management leads to improved outcome for an individual child. The history of SLE indicates how much progress has been made in the last quarter century. A discussion of the etiopathogenesis of SLE demonstrates the complexity of the syndrome. This is followed by a description of clinical manifestations, including diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis and suggested methods for eliciting important symptoms to make the diagnosis. Evaluation of specific organs is next reviewed highlighting critical organ manifestations that are significant for future prognosis. Treatment of SLE includes a variety of medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, steroids and immuno-suppressive drugs. Attention to physical activity, stress and nutrition is equally important. Signs and symptoms that indicate disease flare or infection are described. Lastly, related syndromes are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Klein-Gitelman
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
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Klein-Gitelman MS, Szer IS. Disseminated Nocardia brasiliensis infection: an unusual complication of immunosuppressive treatment for childhood dermatomyositis. J Rheumatol Suppl 1991; 18:1243-6. [PMID: 1941833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The use of steroids combined with cytotoxic drugs has increased in the last decade. The concomitant increase of opportunistic infections has contributed significantly to morbidity and mortality of patients treated with immunosuppressive agents. We describe a child with dermatomyositis who developed disseminated Nocardia brasiliensis infection while receiving steroids and methotrexate. Infectious etiology was established by gram stain. The patient was treated successfully. Disseminated Nocardia brasiliensis infection is rare with a high reported mortality. Diagnosis may be delayed secondary to insidious onset, similarity of clinical manifestations to other pathogens and slow growth in routine culture media. Nocardia should be considered early in the evaluation of infection in patients treated with immunosuppressive agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Klein-Gitelman
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Floating Hospital for Infants and Children, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111
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