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Arthritis Care & Research Oct 2015Management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is complex and variability in practices exists. Guidelines have been developed to help improve the management of SLE... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is complex and variability in practices exists. Guidelines have been developed to help improve the management of SLE patients, but there has been no formal evaluation of these guidelines. This study aims to compare the scope, quality, and consistency of clinical practice guidelines on the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of patients with SLE.
METHODS
Electronic databases were searched up to April 2014. The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument and textual synthesis was used to appraise and compare recommendations.
RESULTS
Nine clinical practice guidelines and 5 consensus statements were identified, which covered 7 topics: diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, neuropsychiatric SLE, lupus nephritis, antiphospholipid syndrome, and other manifestations of lupus. The methodological quality of the guidelines was variable, with the overall mean AGREE II scores ranging from 31% to 75%, out of a maximum 100%. Scores were consistently low for applicability, with only 1 guideline scoring above 50%. There was substantial variability in the treatments recommended for class II and V lupus nephritis, the recommended duration of maintenance therapy for class III/IV lupus nephritis (from 1 to 4 years), and timing of ophthalmologic examination for patients taking corticosteroids.
CONCLUSION
Published guidelines on SLE cover a complex area of clinical care, but the methodological quality, scope, and recommendations varied substantially. Collaborative and multidisciplinary efforts to develop comprehensive, high-quality evidence-based guidelines are needed to promote best treatment and health outcomes for patients with SLE.
Topics: Combined Modality Therapy; Disease Progression; Female; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Lupus Nephritis; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System; Male; Monitoring, Physiologic; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index; Survival Rate
PubMed: 25778500
DOI: 10.1002/acr.22591 -
Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism Feb 2021The neurological and psychiatric manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) are a heterogeneous group of conditions with variable clinical presentation and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The neurological and psychiatric manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) are a heterogeneous group of conditions with variable clinical presentation and significant morbidity and mortality.
OBJECTIVES
Our aim was to comprehensively assess and present the evidence for treatments used in the management of inflammatory NPSLE.
METHODS
Medline, Embase, CINHAL and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from 1990 to end of March 2019 using key words that related to NPSLE and treatment. Included studies comprised clinical trials, observational studies or case series with ≥5 patients and sufficient data related to treatment and outcome in NPSLE patients.
RESULTS
There were 7222 studies identified in the search, of which 90 were included in the review. There was a notable paucity of clinical trials, with only two randomised controlled trials and one pilot study. Treatment categories included corticosteroids (14 studies), cyclophosphamide (18 studies), synthetic DMARDs (7 studies), biologic therapies (14 studies), therapeutic plasma exchange (6 studies), intravenous immunoglobulin (2 studies), autologous stem cell transplant (3 studies), other therapies (8 studies), combination therapies (6 studies), studies with grouped outcome data (5 studies) and observational studies with therapy-specific associations (7 studies). Corticosteroids are accepted as first line treatment in NPSLE and there is low-moderate evidence supporting their benefit. Moderate evidence, based on consistent data in numerous studies and some trial data, supports the use of cyclophosphamide in the treatment of NPSLE. Limited data support some synthetic DMARDs such as mycophenolate, azathioprine and intrathecal methotrexate. In refractory disease, low-moderate evidence supports rituximab therapy and limited evidence supports benefit following autologous stem cell transplant. Regarding adjuvant treatments, limited evidence favours addition of plasma exchange, intravenous immunoglobulin and hydroxychloroquine. There exists very limited data for other therapies.
CONCLUSION
There are multiple therapeutic options for the management of inflammatory NPSLE including systemic, biologic and interventional therapies; however, currently there is a paucity of high-quality trial data to guide firm recommendations. In order to better understand the optimal treatment of NPSLE and its different subtypes, further well-designed clinical trials are needed.
Topics: Azathioprine; Cyclophosphamide; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System; Pilot Projects; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 33360230
DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2020.12.004 -
JAMA Neurology Jul 2021Encephalitis is a severe immune-related adverse event secondary to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The spectrum of ICI-induced encephalitis (ICI-iE)...
IMPORTANCE
Encephalitis is a severe immune-related adverse event secondary to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The spectrum of ICI-induced encephalitis (ICI-iE) ranges from disease that resolves fully to lethal forms. Moreover, ICIs may unmask a paraneoplastic encephalitis. To our knowledge, the factors associated with ICI-iE prognosis are unknown.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the presentation of ICI-iE and to identify features helpful in assessing outcomes.
EVIDENCE REVIEW
This systematic review pooled case series from the published literature (n = 77) and medical records from 1 center (n = 5) to assess the association between the form of ICI-iE presentation and its prognosis. Eligibility criteria included references identified by searches of PubMed and Web of Knowledge databases in the English literature from June 2000 (first patient dose of ipilimumab) to April 17, 2020, that examined patients with encephalitis with presumed autoimmune etiologic features induced by ICIs. Information regarding clinical, cerebrospinal fluid, and neuroimaging (magnetic resonance imaging) features, as well as treatment given, were extracted.
FINDINGS
A total of 82 patients (52 men [63%]; median age, 61.0 years [interquartile range, 52.5-70.0 years]) were included. Most patients presented with focal syndromes (39 [48%]) or meningoencephalitis (36 [44%]). Seven patients (9%) had nonclassifiable ICI-iE. Neuronal autoantibodies were detected in 23 patients with focal syndromes and 1 patient with nonclassifiable ICI-iE. Most autoantibodies were onconeuronal (17 of 24 [71%]), targeting intracellular antigens. Patients without a focal syndrome or with a negative-antibody focal syndrome had a good prognosis (49 of 55 [89%]). Among patients with autoantibodies, those with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase or anticell surface responded to treatment and had a favorable prognosis (100%). However, patients with other autoantibodies had poor outcomes (17 of 24 [71%]). Antineuronal autoantibodies (13 of 24 [54%] vs 5 of 41 [12%]; P < .001), focal syndrome (16 of 39 [41%] vs 4 of 43 [9%]; P = .001), and abnormal magnetic resonance imaging findings (14 of 39 [36%] vs 4 of 32 [13%]; P = .02) were associated with poor outcomes. Conversely, fever (21 of 23 [91%] vs 41 of 59 [70%]; P = .04) and more inflammatory changes in cerebrospinal fluid (30 of 31 [97%] vs 21 of 33 [64%]; P = .001) were associated with a better prognosis.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Immune checkpoint inhibitors may induce mainly 2 different encephalitic syndromes: a focal limbic or extralimbic encephalitis and a meningoencephalitis. Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced encephalitis is associated with an overall favorable outcome, with a low rate of fatal events. An undetected preexisting paraneoplastic encephalitic syndrome may be triggered by ICIs, and this type of syndrome has the worst outcome among all the different types of ICI-induced encephalitis syndromes. Clinical presentation and systematic measurement of autoantibodies will be a helpful guide for the therapeutic strategy and for counseling regarding prognosis.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Autoantibodies; Encephalitis; Female; Humans; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Ipilimumab; Lung Neoplasms; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Melanoma; Middle Aged; Nivolumab
PubMed: 33720308
DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2021.0249 -
Virology Journal Mar 2008The morbidity and mortality associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in immunocompromised patients (especially in HIV-infected patients and transplant... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The morbidity and mortality associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in immunocompromised patients (especially in HIV-infected patients and transplant recipients), as well as with congenital CMV infection are well known. In contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to the morbidity and mortality that CMV infection may cause in immunocompetent patients.
METHODS
We reviewed the evidence associated with severe manifestations of CMV infection in apparently immunocompetent patients and the potential role of antiviral treatment for these infections. We searched in PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library for the period of 1950-2007 to identify relevant articles.
RESULTS
We retrieved 89 articles reporting on severe CMV infection in 290 immunocompetent adults. Among these reports, the gastrointestinal tract (colitis) and the central nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis, transverse myelitis) were the most frequent sites of severe CMV infection. Manifestations from other organ-systems included haematological disorders (haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia), thrombosis of the venous or arterial vascular system, ocular involvement (uveitis), and lung disease (pneumonitis). The clinical practice reported in the literature has been to prescribe antiviral treatment for the most severe manifestations of monophasic meningoencephalitis (seizures and coma), ocular involvement, and lung involvement due to CMV.
CONCLUSION
Severe life-threatening complications of CMV infection in immunocompetent patients may not be as rare as previously thought.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Central Nervous System Viral Diseases; Cytomegalovirus; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Female; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Immunocompetence; Infant; Male; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 18371229
DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-5-47 -
BMC Pediatrics Mar 2021Enterovirus (EV) is a common cause of infection in neonates. Neonates are at high risk of enterovirus infection with serious clinical manifestations and high lethality....
BACKGROUND
Enterovirus (EV) is a common cause of infection in neonates. Neonates are at high risk of enterovirus infection with serious clinical manifestations and high lethality. This review systematically summarized the clinical characteristics of neonates with severe enteroviral infection to provide evidence for the identification and treatment of severe neonatal EV infection.
METHODS
PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for original studies on neonates with severe EV infections from January 1, 2000, to November 27, 2020. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and performed a descriptive analysis.
RESULTS
In total, 66 articles with 237 cases of severe neonatal enterovirus infection were included. All neonates developed severe complications. Among them, 46.0% neonates had hepatitis or coagulopathy, 37.1% had myocarditis, 11.0% had meningoencephalitis, and 5.9% had other complications such as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and pulmonary hemorrhage. The lethality rate of neonates with severe infection was 30.4%. The highest lethality rate was 38.6%, which was observed in neonates with myocarditis. In 70.5% neonates, the age at the onset of symptoms was less than 7 days. Coxsackievirus B infection was seen in 52.3% neonates. The most common symptoms included temperature abnormalities (127, 53.6%), rash (88, 37.1%), poor feeding (58, 24.5%), and respiratory symptoms (52, 21.9%). The main treatment included transfusion of empirical antibiotics (127, 53.6%), blood components (100, 42.2%), intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG; 97, 40.9%), mechanical ventilation (51, 21.5%), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO; 43, 18.1%). Additionally, antiviral medications pleconaril (14, 5.9%) and pocapavir (3, 1.3%) were administered.
CONCLUSIONS
Lethality was high in neonates with severe enterovirus infection, especially in those complicated with myocarditis. The most common symptoms included temperature abnormalities, rash, and poor feeding. The chief supportive treatment consisted of transfusion of blood components, mechanical ventilation, and ECMO. Empirical antibiotics and IVIG were widely used. Antiviral medications included pocapavir and pleconaril; however, more clinical evidence regarding their efficacy is needed.
Topics: Communicable Diseases; Enterovirus; Enterovirus Infections; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Myocarditis
PubMed: 33722228
DOI: 10.1186/s12887-021-02599-y -
Journal of Neurovirology Feb 2021With the growing number of COVID-19 cases in recent times. significant set of patients with extra pulmonary symptoms has been reported worldwide. Here we venture out to...
With the growing number of COVID-19 cases in recent times. significant set of patients with extra pulmonary symptoms has been reported worldwide. Here we venture out to summarize the clinical profile, investigations, and radiological findings among patients with SARS-CoV-2-associated meningoencephalitis in the form of a systemic review. This review was carried out based on the existing PRISMA (Preferred Report for Systematic Review and Meta analyses) consensus statement. The data for this review was collected from four databases: Pubmed/Medline, NIH Litcovid, Embase, and Cochrane library and Preprint servers up till 30 June 2020. Search strategy comprised of a range of keywords from relevant medical subject headings which includes "SARS-COV-2," "COVID-19," and "meningoencephalitis." All peer reviewed, case-control, case report, pre print articles satisfying our inclusion criteria were involved in the study. Quantitative data was expressed in mean ± SD, while the qualitative date in percentages. Paired t test was used for analysing the data based on differences between mean and respective values with a p < 0.05 considered to be statistically significant. A total of 61 cases were included from 25 studies after screening from databases and preprint servers, out of which 54 of them had completed investigation profile and were included in the final analysis. Clinical, laboratory findings, neuroimaging abnormalities, and EEG findings were analyzed in detail. This present review summarizes the available evidences related to the occurrence of meningoencephalitis in COVID-19.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Antiviral Agents; Azithromycin; COVID-19; Confusion; Cough; Dyspnea; Electroencephalography; Fatigue; Female; Fever; Humans; Hydroxychloroquine; Male; Meningoencephalitis; Middle Aged; Neuroimaging; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19 Drug Treatment
PubMed: 33367960
DOI: 10.1007/s13365-020-00923-3 -
Current Fungal Infection Reports 2023Corticosteroids have a complex relationship with fungal disease - risk for many, benefit for others. This systematic review aims to address the effect of corticosteroids... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Corticosteroids have a complex relationship with fungal disease - risk for many, benefit for others. This systematic review aims to address the effect of corticosteroids on mortality and visual outcome in different fungal diseases.
RECENT FINDINGS
Corticosteroids are a risk factor of aspergillosis for patients who have COVID-19, and they also led to a worse outcome. Similarity, corticosteroids are a risk factor for candidemia and mucormycosis. Some researchers reported that using topical corticosteroid in keratitis was associated with worse visual outcome if fungal keratitis. Some studies showed that corticosteroids are linked to a negative outcome for non-HIV patients with pneumonia (PCP), in contrast to those with HIV and PCP.
SUMMARY
In 59 references, we found that corticosteroid therapy showed a worse clinical outcome in invasive aspergillosis (IA) (HR: 2.50, 95%CI: 1.89-3.31, < 0.001) and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) (HR: 2.74, 95%CI: 1.48-5.06, = 0.001), PCP without HIV infection (OR: 1.29, 95%CI: 1.09-1.53, = 0.003), invasive candidiasis and candidaemia (OR: 2.13, 95%CI: 1.85-2.46, < 0.001), mucormycosis (OR: 4.19, 95%CI: 1.74-10.05, = 0.001) and early in the course of fungal keratitis (OR: 2.99, 95%CI: 1.14-7.84, = 0.026). There was equivocal outcome in cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in AIDS and primary coccidioidomycosis, while corticosteroid therapy showed a better outcome in PCP in HIV-infected patients (RR: 0.62, 95%CI: 0.46-0.83, =0.001) and fungal keratitis patients after keratoplasty surgery (OR: 0.01, 95%CI: 0.00-0.41, = 0.041) and probably in cryptococcal meningoencephalitis in non-immunocompromised patients. A sub-analysis in invasive aspergillosis and CPA showed that use of more than 2 mg/kg/day of prednisolone equivalents per day is a significant factor in increasing mortality (HR: 2.94, 95%CI: 2.13-4.05, < 0.001). Corticosteroid therapy during invasive fungal disease was usually associated with a slightly or greatly increased mortality or worse visual outcome (in fungal keratitis), with two disease exceptions. Avoiding the addition of corticosteroids, or minimising dose and duration in those who require them, is likely to improve the outcome of most life- and vision-threatening fungal diseases. This review provides a cornerstone for further research in exploring the accuracy of suitable dose and duration of corticosteroids treatment in fungal diseases.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12281-023-00456-2.
PubMed: 36852004
DOI: 10.1007/s12281-023-00456-2 -
Journal of Neurology Feb 2021To study the frequency of neurological symptoms and complications in COVID-19 patients in a systematic review of the literature.
OBJECTIVE
To study the frequency of neurological symptoms and complications in COVID-19 patients in a systematic review of the literature.
METHODS
Relevant studies were identified through electronic explorations of PubMed, medRxiv, and bioRxiv. Besides, three Chinese databases were searched. A snowballing method searching the bibliographies of the retrieved references was applied to identify potentially relevant articles. Articles published within 1 year prior to April 20th, 2020, were screened with no language restriction imposed. Databases were searched for terms related to SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and neurological manifestations, using a pre-established protocol registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews database (ID: CRD42020187994).
RESULTS
A total of 2441 articles were screened for relevant content, of which 92 full-text publications were included in the analyses of neurological manifestations of COVID-19. Headache, dizziness, taste and smell dysfunctions, and impaired consciousness were the most frequently described neurological symptoms, the latter more often among patients with a severe or critical disease course. To date, only smaller cohort studies or single cases have reported cerebrovascular events, seizures, meningoencephalitis, and immune-mediated neurological diseases, not suitable for quantitative analysis.
CONCLUSION
The most frequent neurological symptoms reported in association with COVID-19 are non-specific for the infection with SARS-CoV-2. Although SARS-CoV-2 may have the potential to gain direct access to the nervous system, so far, SARS-CoV-2 was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid in two cases only. Standardized international registries are needed to clarify the clinical relevance of the neuropathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 and to elucidate a possible impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on common neurological disease, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis.
Topics: COVID-19; Humans; Nervous System Diseases
PubMed: 32691236
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-020-10067-3 -
Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism Jun 2022Previous studies suggested that patients with Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) have a higher risk of suicidal behavior, including suicidal ideation, attempt and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Previous studies suggested that patients with Systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) have a higher risk of suicidal behavior, including suicidal ideation, attempt and complete suicide. Systematic data describing the SLE patients' clinical characteristics and risk factors of suicidal behavior are lacking.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the magnitude of suicidal behavior among SLE patients and to examine predictors associated with suicidal behavior. An additional aim was to identify common genes or coinherited single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) implicated in suicidal behavior and SLE.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic literature review based on PRISMA guidelines using the online databases PubMed/Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science, from inception to August 2021. Full-text original articles that examined the relationship between SLE patients with suicidal behavior were eligible for our review. Two reviewers independently reviewed articles to assess eligibility using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the Joanna Briggs Institute criteria. Systematic reviews, metanalysis, narrative review, case reports, case series, including less than 10 patients, and conference abstracts, were excluded. All registered genome-wide association study (GWAS) data in the GWAS catalog database for SLE and psychiatric traits (suicidal behavior, depression, anxiety, psychosis) were downloaded for further analysis. Special in silico tools were used to examine if any genetic polymorphisms (SNPs) that predispose for SLE or psychiatric traits can be inherited together as a single haplotype. This could be posing a risk factor for a coexisting psychiatric condition in SLE patients.
RESULTS
Of the 64 articles identified, 22 were relevant to the study question; cross-sectional (n = 8) and prospective cohorts (n = 6) were the most frequently retrieved studies. Among the 27,106 SLE patients with SLE, 802 had suicidal behavior (2.9%), and of those, 87.9% were female. Suicide attempt occurred in 573/802 (71.4%) and complete suicide in 18/802 (3%). Major depressive disorder was the most frequently reported coexisting psychiatric condition associated with suicidal behavior, followed by psychosis and social phobia. In addition, several clinical manifestations were linked to suicidal behavior, particularly neuropsychiatric lupus, serositis, mucocutaneous, and renal involvement. Further, high scores in disease activity and damage indices were associated with suicidal behavior. A haplotype in chromosomal region 6p21.33 was found to contain a combination of risk alleles predisposing for SLE and depression, the most common psychiatric disorder associated with suicidal behavior.
CONCLUSION
Suicide behavior in SLE patients was associated with depression, neuropsychiatric lupus, active disease and damage. Further evidence supports a genetic origin of psychiatric symptoms in SLE patients. Awareness of these findings can guide clinicians to recognize suicide behavior promptly and prevent suicide attempts.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Depressive Disorder, Major; Female; Genome-Wide Association Study; Humans; Linkage Disequilibrium; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Lupus Vasculitis, Central Nervous System; Male; Nervous System Diseases; Prospective Studies; Suicidal Ideation
PubMed: 35344734
DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2022.151997 -
Forensic Science, Medicine, and... Dec 2022Clinical features of COVID-19 range from mild respiratory symptoms to fatal outcomes. Autopsy findings are important for understanding COVID-19-related pathophysiology... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Clinical features of COVID-19 range from mild respiratory symptoms to fatal outcomes. Autopsy findings are important for understanding COVID-19-related pathophysiology and clinical manifestations. This systematic study aims to evaluate autopsy findings in paediatric cases. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database Reviews. We included studies that reported autopsy findings in children with COVID-19. A total of 11 studies (24 subjects) were included. The mean age of patients was 5.9 ± 5.7 years. Grossly, there was pericardial and pleural effusion, hepatosplenomegaly, cardiomegaly, heavy soft lung, enlarged kidney, and enlarged brain. The autopsy findings of the lungs were diffuse alveolar damage (78.3%), fibrin thrombi (43.5%), haemorrhage (30.4%), pneumonia (26%), congestion and oedema (26%), angiomatoid pattern (17.4%), and alveolar megakaryocytes (17.4%). The heart showed interstitial oedema (80%), myocardial foci of band necrosis (60%), fibrin microthrombi (60%), interstitial and perivascular inflammation (40%), and pancarditis (30%). The liver showed centrilobular congestion (60%), micro/macrovesicular steatosis (30%), and arterial/venous thrombi (20%). The kidney showed acute tubular necrosis (75%), congestion (62.5%), fibrin thrombi in glomerular capillaries (37.5%), and nephrocalcinosis, mesangial cell hyperplasia, tubular hyaline/granular casts (25% each). The spleen showed splenitis (71.4%), haemorrhage (71.4%), lymphoid hypoplasia (57.1%), and haemophagocytosis (28.6%). The brain revealed oedema (87.5%), congestion (75%), reactive microglia (62.5%), neuronal ischaemic necrosis (62.5%), meningoencephalitis (37.5%), and fibrin thrombi (25%). SARS-CoV-2 and CD68 were positive by immunohistochemistry in 85.7% and 33.3% cases, respectively. Autopsy findings of COVID-19 in children are variable in all important organs. It may help in better understanding the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2.
Topics: Humans; Child; Infant; Child, Preschool; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Autopsy; Lung; Thrombosis; Fibrin; Necrosis
PubMed: 36048325
DOI: 10.1007/s12024-022-00502-4