Autoimmune Medical News for August 2007

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August 2007

Genetic Mutations Linked To Lupus. "We've known that lupus was a complex disease, but now we have a specific protein and a particular cellular process that appears to be one of the causes." Fred Perrino, Ph.D., Wake Forest. Science Daily. 08/01/07. (Also see: Lupus )

Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities in infants born from mothers with autoimmune diseases—a multicentre prospective study. This prospective study confirms the low occurrence of CHB in newborns from anti-Ro-positive mothers. ECG abnormalities (first degree AV block and QTc interval prolongation) are frequent in infants of mothers with autoimmune diseases, independently of maternal disease, autoantibody profile and treatment during pregnancy. Rheumatology 2007 46(8):1285-1289. (Also see: Scleroderma and Pregnancy )

Bad flu season linked to diabetes spike. Scientists don't know what causes type 1 diabetes but believe it is triggered by environmental factors, including viruses, in people who are genetically susceptible. So far, influenza A specifically has not been shown to trigger type 1 diabetes but other viruses like enteroviruses, which affect the gut immune system, have. ABC News Australia. 08/08/07. (Also see: Diabetes )

Green Tea Holds Promise As New Treatment For Inflammatory Skin Diseases. Green tea could hold promise as a new treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis and dandruff, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. Science Daily. 08/07/07. (Also see: Psoriasis and Alternative Therapies )

DNA vaccine against multiple sclerosis appears safe, potentially beneficial. A newly developed DNA vaccine appears safe and may produce beneficial changes in the brains and immune systems of individuals with multiple sclerosis. If successful in MS, antigen-specific DNA vaccines can be developed for prevention or treatment of related diseases, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and myasthenia gravis. EurekAlert! 08/13/07. (Also see: Multiple Sclerosis )

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is correlated with elevated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (PASP) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In patients with SLE, the presence of RP was associated with elevation in PASP. Further investigation is needed to clarify the significance of this relation. Lupus (2007) 16, 505—508. (Also see: Lupus and Raynaud's )

New Way to Treat Allergic Disorders. The research shows Lactococcus lactis can be used to induce tolerance toward certain substances. Study authors report the strategy can now be further developed to treat allergic and autoimmune disorders. Because of the growing number of these disorders, there is a need for more effective treatments with fewer side effects. Invanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs. 08/01/07. (Also see: Alternative Therapies and Autoimmune Diseases )

Autoimmune Disease Yields to Single Rituximab Cycle. In a small open-label study, 86% of patients with severe pemphigus had complete healing of their skin and mucosal lesions three months after receiving one four-week cycle of rituximab. Medpage Today. 08/08/07. (Also see: Diseases Similar to Scleroderma )

Cardiac involvement in systemic inflammatory diseases. Modern sophisticated imaging techniques reveal cardiac abnormalities in most of these diseases and the reported frequency of cardiac involvement ranges widely depending upon the applied diagnostic methods and selection of patients. European Heart Journal. Vol 28, No 15 Pp. 1797-1804. (Also see: Cardiac Involvement and Autoimmune Diseases )

Anti-rheumatic drug use and risk of serious infections in rheumatoid arthritis. In this large cohort of RA patients, the most heightened risk of serious infections was seen with the use of glucocorticoid agents and immunosuppressive DMARDs. Rheumatology. Volume 46, Number 7 Pp. 1157-1160. (Also see: RA and Medications)

Fifty years of anti-ds DNA antibodies: are we approaching journey's end? This review concludes that whilst some way short of ideal, the identification and measuremenet of antibodies to double-stranded DNA remains a useful criterion for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and some of these antibodies do appear to be genuinely pathogenic. Rheumatology. Volume 46, Number 7 Pp. 1052-1056. (Also see: Lupus )

Prevalence and Functional Significance of Antipituitary Antibodies (APA) in Patients with Autoimmune and Non-Autoimmune Thyroid Diseases. APA are frequently present in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. Patients should be tested for APA because positive tests are associated with growth-hormone deficiency. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 92, No. 6 2176-2181. (Also see: Thyroid Disease )

Dysautonomia, fibromyalgia and reflex dystrophy. Hormonal and neurochemical abnormalities are observed in fibromyalgia whereas activation by peripheral trauma and hyperosteolysis are observed in reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007, 9:105. (Also see: Fibromyalgia )

Triggering the autoimmune response against islets in type 1 diabetes. The authors found that transplanted islet cells, but not bone marrow cells, expressing native B16:Y insulin (tyrosine at position 16 of insulin B chain) restored anti-insulin autoimmunity in mice that lacked native insulin genes. SpiritIndia.com. July 2007. (Also see: Causes of Scleroderma: B and T cells and Diabetes )

After a decades-long search, scientists identify new genetic risk factors for multiple sclerosis. A pair of large-scale genetic studies supported by the National Institutes of Health has revealed two genes that influence the risk of getting multiple sclerosis. EurekAlert! 07/29/07. (Also see: Multiple Sclerosis )