No abstract available.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid* ; Humans

No abstract available.
Tenosynovitis*

No Abstract available.
Ankle* ; Sarcoidosis* ; Tenosynovitis*

No abstract available.
Angiomyoma*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the extraglandular manifestations and serological features of Korean patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: Clinical and laboratory data of 125 patients with pSS attending rheumatology clinic of Kangnam St. Mary's hospital, with a mean follow-up period of 64.8 months, were assessed retrospectively. RESULTS: Arthralgia was the most common extraglandular manifestation of pSS. Other extraglandular manifestations, such as myalgia, peripheral neuropathy, Raynaud's phenomenon, and hypothyroidism were frequently presented, but lymphoma was rare manifestation in Korean patients with pSS. Some extraglandular manifestations of pSS were associated with hypocomplementemia and antibodies against Ro, and La, and antinuclear antibody. CONCLUSION: The clinical manifestations and extraglandular manifestations of Korean patients with pSS patients were similar to other studies except low prevalence of lymphoma. Positivity of anti-Ro/SS-A, anti-La/SS-B antibodies and hypocomplementemia were closely associated with extraglandular manifestations in patients with pSS.
Antibodies ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Arthralgia ; Autoantibodies* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism ; Lymphoma ; Myalgia ; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatology ; Sjogren's Syndrome*

Objective: To investigate the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha on the production of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), which might have important roles in the immune mediated inflammatory response of Behcet's syndrome. Methods: Sixty two patients with Behcet's syndrome and thirty healthy controls were included in this study. The concentrations of TNF-alpha in sera were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from eleven patients with Behcet's syndrome were cultured for 48 hours with various concentration of TNF-alpha. The concentrations of MIF in sera and culture supernatants were determined by ELISA. Results: Serum levels of TNF-alpha were significantly higher in patients with Behcet's syndrome than in healthy controls. TNF-alpha dose-dependently increased MIF production from PBMCs in patients with Behcet's syndrome. Serum levels of TNF-alpha tended to correlate with serum levels of MIF, although did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Upregulation of MIF production by increased levels of TNF-alpha in patients with Behcet's syndrome might be related to the pathogenesis of Behcet's syndrome.
Behcet Syndrome* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Macrophages* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha* ; Up-Regulation*

Cryptococcal meningitis is a rare complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The nonspecific neurologic findings associated with this infection delays accurate diagnosis because initial neuropsychiatric manifestations of SLE are in instances indistinguishable from that of crytococcal meningitis. We report a case of cryptococcal meningitis presenting with unilateral sixth cranial nerve palsy in a male patient with SLE, which was successfully treated with antifungal agents.
Abducens Nerve Diseases/*etiology ; Adult ; Humans ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/*complications ; Male ; Meningitis, Cryptococcal/*etiology

Pure word deafness is characterized by an impairment of auditory comprehension and repetition of speech while a preservation of reading, writing, spontaneous speech and ability to comprehend non-verbal sounds. It is caused by trauma, infection, tumor or infarction in the temporal lobe of brain. In most cases, the lesions are bilateral, in the middle third of superior temporal gyri, but in a few cases unilateral lesions of dominant temporal lobe are localized. We experienced a case of 45 year-old right handed woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who presented pure word deafness after left temporal lobe infarction including primary auditory center. Her auditory comprehension was impaired, while reading and visual comprehension were normal. Audiometric tests and auditory evoked potentials disclosed no hearing defect. Brain MRI showed a left temporal lobe infarction without abnormal vascular finding in MRA. She was diagnosed as pure word deafness due to SLE vasculitis and managed with high dose steroid and cyclophosphamide therapies.
Brain ; Cerebral Infarction ; Comprehension ; Cyclophosphamide ; Deafness* ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; Female ; Hand ; Hearing ; Humans ; Infarction ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Temporal Lobe ; Vasculitis ; Writing

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is one of the serious complications of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and recently, cyclosporine A has been found to be effective in patients with corticosteroid-resistant MAS. A 29-yr-old male was admitted with high fever and jaundice for one month. He was diagnosed as juvenile arthritis 16 yr ago. Physical and laboratory results showed hepatosplenomegaly, high fever, pancytopenia and impaired liver and renal function tests, elevated triglyceride and serum ferritin levels. Bone marrow biopsy showed hyperplasia of histiocytes with active hemophagocytosis. He was diagnosed as MAS associated with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and managed with high-dose corticosteroids initially, but clinical symptoms and laboratory findings did not improve immediately. Finally, he completely recovered after treatment with cyclosporine A (3 mg/kg/day).
Treatment Outcome ; Pancytopenia/*drug therapy ; Male ; *Macrophage Activation ; Lymphatic Diseases/*drug therapy ; Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Cyclosporine/*therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Juvenile Rheumatoid/*drug therapy ; Adult

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic value of ultrasonography (US) in detection of calcaneal enthesopathies and compare US findings with clinical examination and laboratory data in patients with seronegative spondyloarthropathy (SpA). METHODS: We studied fifty six patients with SpA (ankylosing spondylitis 51; psoriatic arthritis 2; reactive arthritis 3). Gray scale US and power Doppler sonography (PDS) was performed in Achilles tendons and plantar fascia using a 40 mm, 12 MHz linear probe to detect tendon thickness, loss of normal fibrillar echogenecity, blurred tendon margin, calcification, fluid collection around tendon, bony erosion, enthesopathic spur, retrocalcaneal bursitis and increased vascularity. Clinical examination including Mander enthesis index (MEI) score, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were examined at the same time. RESULTS: In 112 Achilles tendons, 72.3% showed abnormal US findings, as followings, increased tendon thickness 50.9%; loss of normal fibrillar echogenecity 32.1%; blurred tendon margin 24.1%; calcification 5.4%; fluid collection around tendon 17.7%; bony erosion 16%; enthesopathic spur 8.9%; retrocalcaneal bursitis 13.4%; and increased vascularity in power Doppler sonography (PDS) 14.2%. In 112 plantar aponeurosis, 59.8% showed abnormal US enthesopathic spur 8.9%; retrocalcaneal bursitis 13.4%; and increased vascularity in power Doppler sonography (PDS) 14.2%. In 112 plantar aponeurosis, 59.8% showed abnormal US findings, as followings, increased tendon thickness 12.5%; loss of normal fibrillar echogenecity 50%; blurred tendon margin 30.3%; bony spur 2.7%; and increased vascularity in PDS 4.5%. PDS findings well correlated with findings of gray scale US. While 46% of symptomatic patients and 41.2% of patients with tenderness have abnormal X-ray findings, 69.4% of symptomatic patients and 73.8% of patients with tenderness have abnormal US findings. Patients with clinical symptoms, elevated CRP level and >1 MEI score showed increased vascularity in PDS. CONCLUSION: US is a simple and useful method in the detection of enthesopathies of SpA, even in patients without clinical symptom nor abnormal radiographic finding, and PDS combined with gray scale US is more sensitive tool which reflects the clinical examination.
Achilles Tendon ; Arthritis, Psoriatic ; Arthritis, Reactive ; Blood Sedimentation ; Bursitis ; C-Reactive Protein ; Fascia ; Humans ; Rheumatic Diseases* ; Spondylarthropathies* ; Spondylitis ; Tendons ; Ultrasonography