Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been changing the paradigm of cancer treatment. However, immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) have also increased with the exponential increase in the use of ICIs. ICIs can break up the immunologic homeostasis and reduce T-cell tolerance. Therefore, inhibition of immune checkpoint can lead to the activation of autoreactive T-cells, resulting in various irAEs similar to autoimmune diseases. Gastrointestinal toxicity, endocrine toxicity, and dermatologic toxicity are common side effects. Neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and pulmonary toxicity are relatively rare but can be fatal. ICI-related gastrointestinal toxicity, dermatologic toxicity, and hypophysitis are more common with anti- CTLA-4 agents. ICI-related pulmonary toxicity, thyroid dysfunction, and myasthenia gravis are more common with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Treatment with systemic steroids is the principal strategy against irAEs. The use of immune-modulatory agents should be considered in case of no response to the steroid therapy. Treatment under the supervision of multidisciplinary specialists is also essential, because the symptoms and treatments of irAEs could involve many organs. Thus, this review focuses on the mechanism, clinical presentation, incidence, and treatment of various irAEs.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Cardiotoxicity ; Homeostasis ; Incidence ; Myasthenia Gravis ; Organization and Administration ; Specialization ; Steroids ; T-Lymphocytes ; Thyroid Gland

PURPOSE: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is the standard treatment for Kawasaki disease (KD). However, there is still no standard treatment for IVIG-resistant KD. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-dose methotrexate (MTX) as a treatment for IVIG-resistant KD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 10-year data for patients with IVIG-resistant KD who were administered MTX at Severance Children's Hospital. RESULTS: The subjects included 75 patients with KD aged 5 months to 9.2 years who had been administered MTX. Their maximum body temperatures decreased significantly within 24 h of therapy. The patients' C-reactive protein levels were significantly lower 1 week after administering the first dose of MTX than those before treatment. No adverse effect for MTX was observed. CONCLUSION: MTX treatment of IVIG-resistant KD resulted in rapid defervescence, improvement of clinical symptoms, and normalization of acute-phase reactants in all patients. Thus, MTX could be a candidate treatment for IVIG-resistant KD.
C-Reactive Protein/analysis ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Coronary Vessels/pathology ; Demography ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Humans ; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous/therapeutic use ; Infant ; Male ; Methotrexate/administration & dosage ; Methotrexate/therapeutic use ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome/blood ; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome/drug therapy ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids/therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome

Administration, Oral ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; administration & dosage ; Brimonidine Tartrate ; administration & dosage ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Doxycycline ; administration & dosage ; Face ; physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Middle Aged ; Rosacea ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Singapore ; Steroids ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common, chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin disease that affects both children and adults. AD is the cause of considerable morbidity including severe pruritus and impaired quality of life. Treatments for active disease include avoidance of triggering factors, barrier repair, topical medications including topical corticosteroids (TCs) and topical calcineurin inhibitors (TCIs), phototherapy, antibacterial agents, and systemic immunosuppressants including cyclosporine. Until recently, the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved systemic treatment options for patients with moderate-to-severe AD were steroids and cyclosporine. Systemic steroids are not recommended by current guidelines and are commonly associated with disease rebound. Instead, clinicians choose from several off-label immunosuppressants. In 2018, the Korean FDA approved dupilumab for adults with moderate-to-severe AD whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical therapies. The implementation of treatment guidelines for AD is challenging. Herein, we review the several treatment modalities for AD and recommend a treatment algorithm.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Calcineurin Inhibitors ; Child ; Cyclosporine ; Dermatitis, Atopic* ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; Phototherapy ; Pruritus ; Quality of Life ; Skin Diseases ; Steroids ; United States Food and Drug Administration

OBJECTIVETo observe the curative effect of porous tantalum rod and Gugutou Huaisiyu Capsule (GHC) for steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head (SONFH).

METHODSA total 60 hips of 50 SONFH patients were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to grouping time, 25 in each group (30 hips). Patients in the control group were implanted with porous tantalum rod, while those in the treatment group additionally took GHC (5 pills each time, three time per day for 2 successive months; and then twice per day for 4 successive months). Then all patients were followed-up to observe Harris hip score. The curative effect and the femoral head survival time were assessed.

RESULTSA total of 49 patients (59 hips) were followed-up. The Harris hip score of the two groups at the final follow-up was significantly improved after treatment, with statistical difference when compared with before treatment (P < 0.01). Besides, it was higher in the treatment group than in the control group. The curative effect and the survival time were superior in the treatment group, with statistical difference when compared with the control group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPorous tantalum rod combined GHC got better effect in treating SONFH. It could significantly improve the function of affected hips and prolong the survival time of femoral head.

Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Femur Head Necrosis ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Prostheses and Implants ; Steroids ; adverse effects ; Tantalum

A 26-year-old male presented with a 6-day history of paroxysmal headache which was worsen with nausea and vomiting for 1 day. Head CT on admission revealed left chronic subdural hematoma with midline shift. An emergency Burr hole drainage for hematoma was performed. Headache recurred 6 days later. MRI of the brain revealed a diffuse thickening and a gadolinium-enhancement of the falx, cranial dura mater and tentorium cerebelli on the left side with pia mater involved. Lumber puncture showed increased intracranial pressure and elevated IgG level in cerebrospinal fluid. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen showed thickened, fibrotic dura with a sterile chronic inflammation. According to pathological examination, idiopathic hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis was considered as the final diagnosis. Symptoms were improved with steroid pulse therapy.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Brain ; pathology ; Drainage ; Dura Mater ; pathology ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; diagnosis ; Immunoglobulin G ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Intracranial Hypertension ; etiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningitis ; diagnosis ; Steroids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Anorexia is one of the most common issues in older patients. Although there is a tendency for loss of appetite in older persons due to decreased physical activity and reduced resting metabolic rate, this physiological anorexia of aging can easily develop into progressive anorexia and weight loss. This pathologic anorexia and resultant weight loss is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, especially in the frail elderly. To prevent older persons from entering a vicious cycle of frailty, that is, anorexia-malnutrition-sarcopenia-functional impairment, routine screening for anorexia and malnutrition should be implemented in geriatric clinical practice. All anorexic elderly patients should be strongly encouraged to maintain their nutrition, and appetite stimulants can be considered if non-pharmacological interventions are not effective. Although there are no US or Korea Food and Drug Administration approved medications for geriatric-specific anorexia and weight loss, several appetite stimulants can be prescribed and are used widely. Megestrol acetate is the most widely studied and commonly used of these drugs. Cyproheptadine, dronabinol, mirtazapine, corticosteroids, anabolic steroids (e.g., testosterone or oxandrolone), and growth hormone are also effective in increasing appetite or weight. However, the use of these orexigenic agents should occur only after their benefit-to-risk ratio has been carefully considered.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Aged ; Aging ; Anorexia ; Appetite Stimulants* ; Appetite* ; Cyproheptadine ; Diethylpropion ; Dronabinol ; Frail Elderly ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Korea ; Malnutrition ; Mass Screening ; Megestrol Acetate ; Mortality ; Motor Activity ; Steroids ; Testosterone ; United States Food and Drug Administration ; Weight Loss

No abstract available.
Behcet Syndrome/*complications/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Hemianopsia/diagnosis/*etiology/physiopathology ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulse Therapy, Drug ; Steroids/administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Field Tests ; Visual Fields

We report here a case of strongyloidiasis in a 72-year-old diabetic patient (woman) accompanied by gastrointestinal stromal tumor receiving imatinib therapy, first diagnosed as hypereosinophilic syndrome and treated with steroids for uncontrolled eosinophilia. She suffered from lower back pain and intermittent abdominal discomfort with nausea and diagnosed with gastrointestinal stromal tumor. After post-operative imatinib treatment eosinophilia persisted, so that steroid therapy was started under an impression of hypereosinophilic syndrome. In spite of 6 months steroid therapy, eosinophilia persisted. Stool examination was performed to rule out intestinal helminth infections. Rhabditoid larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis were detected and the patient was diagnosed as strongyloidiasis. This diagnosis was confirmed again by PCR. The patient was treated with albendazole for 14 days and her abdominal pain and diarrhea improved. This case highlights the need for thorough investigation, including molecular approaches, to test for strongyloidiasis before and during steroid therapies.
Aged ; Albendazole/administration & dosage ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications ; Eosinophilia/complications/*drug therapy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/complications/*drug therapy ; Humans ; Imatinib Mesylate/*administration & dosage ; Steroids/*administration & dosage ; Strongyloides stercoralis/genetics/isolation & purification/physiology ; Strongyloidiasis/*drug therapy/parasitology

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of glucocorticoid in initial treatment of sudden hearing loss with intratympanic (IT) and systemic ways. METHOD: We searched the database of PubMed, Cochrane, Embase,CBM, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang systematically. Literatures were screened according to the preestablished inclusion and exclusion standards,and all the RCT literatures associated with intratympanic and systemic glucocorticoid in the initial treatment of sudden hearing loss before may 2015 were collected. All the data, which meet the inclusion standards, were analyzed by using Meta-analysis software. RESULT: Among all the qualified literatures, 11 randomized controlled trials were included. A total of 1298 cases were involved, including 521 cases with intratympanic administration, 410 with IV-therapy, and 201 with oral therapy. Meta analysis results showed that there was significant difference of the total effective rate and improvement rate between the intratympanic and systemic administration. Intratympanic injection (P > 0.05) was more effective than systemic administration. There was no significant difference between intratympanic group and oral group (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.92-1.42, P > 0.05). A significant difference of the effective rate occurred between intratympanic group and IV therapy group (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02-1.34, P < 0.05). The major complications of intratympanic were pain, dizziness/vertigo, which occurred more frequently than systemic therapy group; The major complications of systemic therapy group were hyperglycaemia, loss of appetite and insomnia. CONCLUSION This study shows that the intratympanic (IT) glucocorticoid for sudden deafness is more effective than the systemic administration. But it was not the first choice in clinical treatment. Further studies are warranted.
Administration, Oral ; Glucocorticoids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; drug therapy ; Humans ; Hyperglycemia ; Injection, Intratympanic ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Steroids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome