Infectious complications in polymyositis and dermatomyositis: a series of 279 patients

Prognostic factors of fungal infection in anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive associated interstitial lung disease

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the potential risk factors for mortality in fungal infection in anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive associated interstitial lung disease (MDA5-ILD).

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with MDA5-ILD from April 2017 to November 2022 were included. The demographic data, laboratory examinations, therapeutic and follow-up information were recorded. Fungal infection diagnosis was established based on a combinations of host factors, clinical features and mycologic evidences. High-dose corticosteroid therapy was defined as the initial corticosteroid doses > 240mg/d. The primary endpoint was mortality. Potential factors for fungal infection occurrence and prognostic factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression.

RESULTS

In total, 121 patients with MDA5-ILD were included. During follow-up, 41 (33.9%) patients had suffered fungal infection and 39.0% (16/41) of whom had ever received high-dose corticosteroid therapy. The median interval from corticosteroid use to the occurrence of fungal infection was 29 (10-48) days. The mean survival time of patients with fungal infection was 234.32 ± 464.76 days. The mortality in MDA5-ILD with fungal infection was 85.4% (35/41), which was significantly higher than those without (85.4% VS 56.3%, P < 0.001). High-dose corticosteroid therapy (P = 0.049) was independent risk factor for fungal infection occurrence. Decreased serum albumin level (P = 0.024) and high-dose corticosteroid therapy (P = 0.008) were both associated with increased mortality in MDA5-ILD patients with fungal infection.

CONCLUSION

Fungal infection is associated with an increased mortality in MDA5-ILD. The serum albumin level and corticosteroid dose should be taken into consideration when treating MDA5-ILD. Key Points • This study showed fungal infection is associated with an increased mortality in MDA5-ILD. In MDA5-ILD patients with fungal infection, the presence of decreased serum albumin level and high-dose corticosteroid therapy were identified as predictors for mortality.

Clinical characteristics of and risk factors for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (Anti-MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis patients: a single-center retrospective study

OBJECTIVE

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is a serious opportunistic infection mainly diagnosed in patients with rheumatic conditions. However, PJP in anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5 + DM) patients remains poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the 6-month PJP risk in newly diagnosed MDA5 + DM patients.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study of 105 inpatients with newly diagnosed MDA5 + DM was conducted at Renji Hospital from January 2018 to November 2019. Demographic information, clinical characteristics, and treatment data were recorded. The primary outcome was PJP incidence within 6 months after a MDA5 + DM diagnosis.

RESULTS

The analysis included 105 patients, including 13 patients diagnosed with PJP during the observation period. The median time from the MDA5 + DM diagnosis to PJP was 89 ± 38 days. Compared with the PJP - patients, the PJP + patients had a significantly greater risk of mortality (69.2% vs. 13.0% P < 0.001). Regarding the baseline comorbidities, hypertension (P = 0.013) and cancer (P = 0.02) were more common in the PJP + group. Additionally, a larger proportion of the PJP + patients received prolonged high-dose steroid therapy (≥ 60 mg/day and ≥ 1 month) (P = 0.022) and double or triple immunosuppressant therapy (P = 0.013). The multivariate analysis showed that PJP was independently associated with lymphopenia (ALC < 500 cells/µl) (OR: 5.434, 95% CI: 2.074-55.155; P = 0.012) and the combined use of cyclophosphamide (CTX) and tacrolimus (TAC) (OR: 10.695, 95% CI: 1.440-20.508; P = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

There was a high incidence and mortality in the MDA5 + DM patients with PJP, with patients on combined immunosuppressive treatments, particularly CTX and TAC, being at a higher risk. Prolonged high-dose steroid therapy (≥ 60 mg/day and ≥ 1 month) was another risk factor for PJP. Key Points • There was a high incidence and mortality in the MDA5 + DM patients with PJP. • Most PJP cases occurred within 3 months after the MDA5 + DM diagnosis. • The 6-month infection risk of PJP increased with the administration of multiagent immunosuppression, especially the combination of CTX and TAC. • Prolonged high-dose steroid therapy (≥ 60 mg/day and ≥ 1 month) was another risk factor for PJP.

Clinical Characteristics and Associated Factors for Infection and in-Hospital Mortality in Inpatients with Polymyositis/Dermatomyositis in China: A Retrospective Study

Purpose

To investigate the clinical features of infection, and associated factor for in-hospital mortality in a southern Chinese cohort with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM).

Patients and Methods

Clinical data were retrospectively reviewed from 2015 to 2022 from a tertiary hospital in southern China. Associated factors for infection and in-hospital mortality were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 554 patients with PM/DM were included, and 35.6% (197/554) of them developed 404 episodes of infection. Half of the patients developed infection within 4 months after disease onset. Bacterial infection was predominant (249/404, 61.6%). Lung was the most involved (242/404, 59.9%). Gram-negative bacteria the leading pathogens (64/84, 76.2%). Patients with anti-MDA5 positive were prone to develop severe infections (35.1% vs 16.4%, P<0.001) and had higher mortality (11.7% vs 3.4%, P=0.01). The in-hospital mortality was 6.5% (36/554). Infection was the leading cause of death (20/36, 55.6%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.05, 95% confidential interval (CI): 1.02-1.09, P=0.004), ILD (adjusted OR: 2.76, 95% CI: 1.11-6.84, P=0.03), number of episodes of infection (adjusted OR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.53-2.38, P<0.001), and elevated serum creatinine (Scr) (adjusted OR: 6.83, 95% CI: 1.77-26.40, P=0.01) were associated with in-hospital mortality.

Conclusion

Infection is an early complication in PM/DM with a high proportion of lung involvement and predominance of gram-negative bacteria. It is a major contributor to in-hospital mortality. Older age, ILD, and number of episodes of infection are associated with poor prognosis.

Clinical and Radiological Features of Interstitial Lung Diseases Associated with Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis are autoimmune idiopathic systemic inflammatory diseases, characterized by various degrees of muscle inflammation and typical cutaneous lesions-the latter found in dermatomyositis. The underlying pathogenesis is characterized by a high level of uncertainty, and recent studies suggest diseases may have different immunopathological mechanisms. In polymyositis, components of the cellular immune system are involved, whereas in dermatomyositis, the pathogenesis is mainly mediated by the humoral immune response. The interstitial lung disease occurs in one-third of polymyositis and dermatomyositis patients associated with worse outcomes, showing an estimated excess mortality rate of around 40%. Lung involvement may also appear, such as a complication of muscle weakness, mainly represented by aspiration pneumonia or respiratory insufficiency. The clinical picture is characterized, in most cases, by progressive dyspnea and non-productive cough. In some cases, hemoptysis and chest pain are found. Onset can be acute, sub-acute, or chronic. Pulmonary involvement could be assessed by High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT), which may identify early manifestations of diseases. Moreover, Computed Tomography (CT) appearances can be highly variable depending on the positivity of myositis-specific autoantibodies. The most common pathological patterns include fibrotic and cellular nonspecific interstitial pneumonia or organizing pneumonia; major findings observed on HRCT images are represented by consolidations, ground-glass opacities, and reticulations. Other findings include honeycombing, subpleural bands, and traction bronchiectasis. In patients having Anti-ARS Abs, HRCT features may develop with consolidations, ground glass opacities (GGOs), and reticular opacities in the peripheral portions; nonspecific interstitial pneumonia or nonspecific interstitial pneumonia mixed with organizing pneumonia have been reported as the most frequently encountered patterns. In patients with anti-MDA5 Abs, mixed or unclassifiable patterns are frequently observed at imaging. HRCT is a sensitive method that allows one not only to identify disease, but also to monitor the effectiveness of treatment and detect disease progression and/or complications; however, radiological findings are not specific. Therefore, aim of this pictorial essay is to describe clinical and radiological features of interstitial lung diseases associated with polymyositis and dermatomyositis, emphasizing the concept that gold standard for diagnosis and classification-should be based on a multidisciplinary approach.

Isolated Tuberculous Myositis: A Systematic Review and Multicenter Cases

Objective

To investigate the clinical features and associated underlying conditions of isolated tuberculous myositis (ITBM), a rare extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

Methods

A systematic literature search and a multicenter survey were performed using a triangulation strategy. Data from the identified ITBM cases were extracted and analyzed to determine the underlying conditions, clinical presentations, treatments, and outcomes.

Results

Based on the systematic review, we identified 58 ITBM, including 9 pediatric, cases in the literature published from 1981 to 2021 25 (43.1%) immunocompromised and 33 (56.9%) non-immunocompromised patients. Immunocompromised cases had a significant shorter symptom duration (median 30.0 vs. 75.0 days) and a higher prevalence of multilocular involvement (20.8% vs. 0%). Among 24 immunocompromised adult patients, dermatomyositis/polymyositis (DM/PM; n=10, 41.7%) were the most common underlying diseases in adults with ITBM identified in the systematic review. Over the past 20 years, 11 Korean adults with ITBM were identified in the multicenter survey. Of 7 immunocompromised cases, two (28.6%) were DM/PM patients. TB death rate of immunocompromised patients was 0.0% and 5/23 (21.7%) in the pediatric and adult ITBM cases identified in the systematic review, respectively, and 3/7 (42.9%) in survey-identified ITBM cases.

Conclusion

ITBM has a unique clinical presentation including fever, tenderness, local swelling, overlying erythema, abscess formation and was associated with a grave outcome, especially in immunocompromised hosts. DM/PM was a highly prevalent underlying disease in both systematic review-identified and survey-identified immunocompromised ITBM patients.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of mycobacterial infections in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

OBJECTIVES

Infections including tuberculosis (TB) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). We systematically reviewed the prevalence of mycobacterial infections in patients with IIM.

METHODS

We screened PUBMED, EMBASE and SCOPUS databases and conference abstracts (2015-20) for original articles using Covidence. Pooled estimates of prevalence were calculated.

RESULTS

Of 83 studies (28 cohort studies, two case control and 53 case reports), 19 were analysed. Of 14 043 IIM patients, DM (54.41%) was the most common subset among TB. Most studies were from Asia with high prevalence (5.86%, 2.33%-10.60%). Pooled prevalence of mycobacterial infections among IIM was 3.58% (95% CI: 2.17%, 5.85%, P < 0.01). Disseminated and extrapulmonary forms (46.58%; 95% CI: 39.02%, 54.31%, P = 1.00) were as common as pulmonary TB (49.07%; 95% CI: 41.43%, 56.75%, P =0.99) both for I2=0. Muscle involvement, an otherwise rare site, was frequently seen in case reports (24.14%). M. tuberculosis (28.84%) was the most common pathogen followed by Mycobacterium avium complex (3.25%). Non-tuberculous mycobacteria were less common overall (6.25; 95% CI: 3.49%, 10.93%) I2=0, P =0.94. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression based on high vs low TB regions found prevalence 6.61% (2.96%, 11.33%) in high TB regions vs 2.05% (0.90%, 3.56%) in low TB regions. While death due to TB was occasionally reported (P =0.82), successful anti-tubercular treatment was common (13.95%).

CONCLUSION

TB is common in IIM, particularly in endemic regions though current data is largely heterogeneous. Extra-pulmonary forms and atypical sites including the muscle are frequent. Limited data suggests fair outcomes, although larger prospective studies may offer better understanding.

Application value of blood metagenomic next-generation sequencing in patients with connective tissue diseases

Objective

This study aimed to analyze the application value of blood metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in patients with connective tissue diseases (CTDs) to provide a reference for infection diagnosis and guidance for treatment.

Methods

A total of 126 CTD patients with suspected infections who were hospitalized in the Department of Rheumatology, the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from January 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled in this study. We retrospectively reviewed the results of mNGS and conventional diagnostic tests (CDTs).

Results

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and polymyositis/dermatomyositis (DM/PM) had the highest incidence of infections. The positive pathogen detection rates of mNGS were higher than those of CDT. The virus infections are the most common type in CTD patients with single or mixed infection, especially Human gammaherpesvirus 4 (EBV), Human betaherpesvirus 5 (CMV), and Human alphaherpesvirus 1. The incidence of prokaryote and eukaryote infections is secondary to viruses. Bloodstream infections of rare pathogens such as Pneumocystis jirovecii should be of concern. Meanwhile, the most common mixed infection was bacterial–virus coinfection.

Conclusion

mNGS has incremental application value in patients with CTD suspected of co-infection. It has a high sensitivity, and a wide detection range for microorganisms in CTD patients. Furthermore, the high incidence of opportunistic virus infections in CTD patients should be of sufficient concern.

Knee Arthrodesis for Mycobacterium avium Complex Native-Knee Septic Arthritis in a Patient with Dermatomyositis: A Case Report

CASE

A 43-year-old woman with dermatomyositis presented with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) knee septic arthritis with superimposed polymicrobial infection. After poor infection control with antibiotic therapy, she underwent debridement and antibiotic cement spacer placement, followed by knee arthrodesis 6 months later. At 2-year follow-up, she had no pain and was ambulating without assistive devices.

CONCLUSION

As far as we know, this is the first reported case of MAC native-knee septic arthritis successfully treated with antibiotic cement spacer followed by knee arthrodesis. This case sheds insight on treatment strategies for a rare native-knee infection.

Reasons for Hospitalization and In-Hospital Mortality in Adults With Dermatomyositis and Polymyositis

OBJECTIVE

Dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) are systemic autoimmune diseases that have been associated with high in-hospital mortality (IHM). The aim of this study was to use the National Inpatient Sample (NIS), a large US population database, to determine the reasons for hospitalization and IHM in patients with DM and PM.

METHODS

We conducted a medical records review of adult DM/PM hospitalizations in 2016 and 2017 in acute care hospitals across the United States using the NIS. The reasons for IHM and reasons for hospitalization were divided into 19 broad categories based on their principal International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10) diagnosis.

RESULTS

A total of 27,140 hospitalizations carried either a principal or secondary ICD-10 code for DM or PM. The main reasons for hospitalization were rheumatologic (22%, n = 6085), cardiovascular (15%, n = 3945), infectious (13%, n = 3515), respiratory (12%, n = 3170), and gastrointestinal, (8%, n = 2150). A total of 3.5% of all patients experienced IHM. Infectious (34%, n = 325), respiratory (23%, n = 215), and cardiovascular (15%, n = 140) diagnoses were the most common reasons for IHM. Sepsis ICD-10 A41.9 was the most frequent specific principal diagnosis for both hospitalizations and IHM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis demonstrated that in the NIS the most common reasons for hospitalization in patients with DM/PM were rheumatologic diagnoses. However, IHM in these patients was most frequently from infectious diagnoses, highlighting the need for increased attention to infectious complications in these patients.

Systemic autoimmune myopathies: A prospective phase 4 controlled trial of an inactivated virus vaccine against SARS-CoV-2

Objectives

To evaluate immunogenicity and safety of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in systemic autoimmune myopathies (SAMs) and the possible influence of baseline disease parameters, comorbidities and therapy on immune response.

Methods

This prospective controlled study included 53 patients with SAMs and 106 non-immunocompromised control group (CTRL). All participants received two doses of the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine (28-day interval). Immunogenicity was assessed by anti-SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG seroconversion (SC), anti-S1/S2 IgG geometric mean titre (GMT), factor increase GMT (FI-GMT), neutralizing antibodies (NAb) positivity, and median neutralizing activity after each vaccine dose (D0 and D28) and six weeks after the second dose (D69). Participants with pre-vaccination positive IgG serology and/or NAb and those with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 during the protocol were excluded from immunogenicity analysis.

Results

Patients and CTRL had comparable sex (P>0.99) and age (P=0.90). Immunogenicity of 37 patients and 79 CTRL-naïve participants revealed at D69, a moderate but significantly lower SC (64.9% vs 91.1%, P<0.001), GMT [7.9 (95%CI 4.7–13.2) vs 24.7 (95%CI 30.0–30.5) UA/ml, P<0.001] and frequency of NAb (51.4% vs 77.2%, P<0.001) in SAMs compared with CTRL. Median neutralizing activity was comparable in both groups [57.2% (interquartile range (IQR) 43.4–83.4) vs 63.0% (IQR 40.3–80.7), P=0.808]. Immunosuppressives were less frequently used among NAb+ patients vs NAb- patients (73.7% vs 100%, P=0.046). Type of SAMs, disease status, other drugs or comorbidities did not influence immunogenicity. Vaccine-related adverse events were mild with similar frequencies in patients and CTRL (P>0.05).

Conclusion

Sinovac-CoronaVac is safe and has a moderate short-term immunogenicity in SAMs, but reduced compared with CTRL. We further identified that immunosuppression is associated with diminished NAb positivity.

Trial registration

COVID-19 CoronaVac in Patients With Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases and HIV/AIDS (CoronavRheum), http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04754698

2020 guide for the diagnosis and treatment of interstitial lung disease associated with connective tissue disease

The prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) has improved significantly in recent years, but interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with connective tissue disease (CTD-ILD) remains a refractory condition, which is a leading cause of mortality. Because it is an important prognostic factor, many observational and interventional studies have been conducted to date. However, CTD is a heterogeneous group of conditions, which makes the clinical course, treatment responses, and prognosis of CTD-ILD extremely diverse. To summarize the current understanding and unsolved questions, the Japanese Respiratory Society and the Japan College of Rheumatology collaborated to publish the world's first guide focusing on CTD-ILD, based on the evidence and expert consensus of pulmonologists and rheumatologists, along with radiologists, pathologists, and dermatologists. The task force members proposed a total of 27 items, including 7 for general topics, 9 for disease-specific topics, 3 for complications, 4 for pharmacologic treatments, and 4 for non-pharmacologic therapies, with teams of 2-4 authors and reviewers for each item to prepare a consensus statement based on a systematic literature review. Subsequently, public opinions were collected from members of both societies, and a critical review was conducted by external reviewers. Finally, the task force finalized the guide upon discussion and consensus generation. This guide is expected to contribute to the standardization of CTD-ILD medical care and is also useful as a tool for promoting future research by clarifying unresolved issues.

High burden of infections in Indian patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy: validation of observations from the MyoCite dataset

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence, profile and predictors of infections in an Indian cohort with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM).

METHODS

We reviewed the records of a retrospective cohort with IIM enrolled from consecutive patients being followed up in the clinic, and these constituted the observation cohort. A newly diagnosed inception cohort with IIM were followed prospectively as the validation cohort for confirmation of observations and comparison with the observation cohort.

RESULTS

Among the 68 patients in the observation cohort (average age 33.4 years, female:male 4.2:1), 37 (54.4%) experienced 54 infections between them; of these 54 infections, 21 (38.8%) were major and recurrent infections and they occurred in 11 patients (16.17%) over 3.08 years. Tuberculosis was the most common infection (12, 22.2%), with a predominance of extrapulmonary forms. Serum protein [odds ratio (OR) 0.44], platelets (0.44) at disease onset and daily steroid dose (1.04) predicted major infections on multivariate analysis. A higher daily dose of steroids at first infection correlated with number of recurrent infections. The infection-free 1-year survival was 73.8%.Of the 70 patients in the validation cohort (average age 35.7 years, female:male 3.7:1), 3 had myositis attributed to an infection. A similar proportion of the cohort experienced infections (22, 33.3%) with similar number of major (10, 45.4%) and recurrent (4, 18%) infections being recorded. The most common infection was community-acquired pneumonia, followed by tuberculosis, with serum albumin (OR 0.25) at disease onset being the only predictor. The one-year infection-free survival rate was 64.7%. Those who had a major infection had increased mortality at 1 year, with a survival rate of 60%, compared with 89.09% in those without.In both cohorts, a daily prednisone dose >6.25 mg predisposed to major infections.

CONCLUSION

Major and recurrent infections are common in Indian IIM patients and confer higher risk for future infections and lower survival. Respiratory and atypical bacterial infections such as tuberculosis occur throughout the disease course.

Heart transplantation outcomes in cardiac sarcoidosis

BACKGROUND

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is a progressive inflammatory cardiomyopathy that can lead to heart failure, arrhythmia, and death. There is limited data on Orthotopic Heart Transplantation (OHT) outcomes in patients with CS. Here we examine outcomes in patients with CS who have undergone OHT at centers throughout the United States from 1987 to 2019.

METHODS

This was an analysis of 63,947 adult patients undergoing OHT captured in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry. Patients were characterized as cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) or Non-CS. Baseline characteristics were compared using chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis Tests. Outcomes of interest included primary graft failure, patient survival, treated graft rejection, hospitalization for infection, and post-transplant malignancy.

RESULTS

During the study period 227 patients with CS underwent OHT. Patients with CS were younger, had higher proportion of non-white patients, and received transplants at more urgent statuses. After multivariable modeling there was no difference in survival (HR 0.86, CI 0.59-1.3, p = 0.446) or graft failure (HR 0.849, CI 0.58-1.23, p = 0.394) between patients with CS and Non-CS. Patients with CS had lower odds of rejection (OR 0.558, CI 0.315- 0.985, p = 0.0444). Patients with CS had similar odds of hospitalization for infection and post-transplant malignancy, as Non-CS patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with CS and Non-CS had similar post OHT survival, odds of graft failure, hospitalizations for infection, and post-transplant malignancy. Results of this study confirm the role of heart transplantation as a viable option for patients with CS.

Incidence and predictors of severe infections in ANCA-associated vasculitis: a population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the incidence rate, predictors and outcome of severe infections in a population-based cohort of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV).

METHODS

The study included 325 cases of AAV (152 female) diagnosed from 1997 through 2016 from a defined geographic area in Sweden. All severe infection events (requiring hospitalization and treatment with intravenous antimicrobials) were identified. The Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) was used to evaluate disease activity, and organ damage was assessed using the vasculitis damage index (VDI). Patients were followed from time of AAV diagnosis to death or December 2017.

RESULTS

A total of 129 (40%) patients suffered at least one severe infection. In 2307 person-years (PY) of follow-up, 210 severe infections were diagnosed. The incidence rate of severe infections was 9.1/100 PY and was highest during the first year following AAV diagnosis at 22.1/100 PY (P < 0.001). Pneumonia, sepsis and urinary tract infection were the most common infections. Opportunistic infections constituted only 6% of all severe infections. In Cox regression analysis age and BVAS at diagnosis were the only factors independently predicting severe infection [hazard ratio: 1.54 (P < 0.001) and 1.27 (P = 0.001), respectively]. Severe infection was associated with poorer prognosis with respect to median VDI score 12 months post-AAV diagnosis, renal survival and mortality. Severe infections were the cause of death in 32 patients (22% of all deaths).

CONCLUSION

. Severe infection is a common problem in AAV, with the most important prognostic factors being older age and high disease activity at diagnosis. Severe infections are associated with permanent organ damage and high mortality.

Clinical role of bronchoalveolar lavage in dermatomyositis-associated interstitial lung disease

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the role of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in dermatomyositis (DM)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with DM-ILD who underwent bronchoscopy between October 2015 and September 2019. We then collated clinical features, laboratory data, and bronchoscopy findings. The follow-up study was terminated on the 1st May 2020.

RESULTS

A total of 113 DM-ILD patients were included in this study, including 27 patients with acute/subacute interstitial pneumonia (A/SIP) and 86 patients with chronic interstitial pneumonia (CIP). The A/SIP group had significantly lower proportions of lymphocytes and eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) than the CIP group, but had a significantly higher proportion of neutrophils. Pathogens were discovered in BALF from 28 (24.8%) patients. Twenty-five (22.1%) patients commenced or changed antibiotic therapy on the basis of their bronchoscopy results. Lymphopenia and ICU care were significantly associated with pathogen-positive BALF findings. Complications of bronchoscopy occurred in 9 (8.0%) patients; fever (5.3%) was the most common complication. Twenty-five deaths (25/106, 23.6%) were observed during a mean follow-up of 22 months. Age, A/SIP, and anti-MDA5 antibody, were identified as independent predictors of a poor outcome, while mechanic's hands was an independent protective factor. However, cellular and pathogen findings in BALF had no significant influence on 30-day or overall mortality.

CONCLUSION

Bronchoscopy is a relatively useful instrument to evaluate ILD in patients with DM and BAL can improve the diagnosis of infection. However, cellular and pathogen findings from BALF had no significant influence on prognosis.

Clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis presenting with isolated facial edema complicated by acute respiratory failure: a case report

BACKGROUND

In clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis, the hallmark cutaneous manifestations are the key to diagnosis. We report a case of clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis which presented with facial edema as the sole cutaneous manifestation and was later complicated by acute respiratory failure leading to death.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 58-year-old woman presented with edema of the face that had developed approximately one year ago. There was no weakness in the extremities, and the serum creatine kinase level was within normal range. On MRI, there was diffuse edematous change in the bilateral masticator and extra-ocular muscles, accompanied by subcutaneous fat infiltration in the face. A shared decision was made to defer muscle biopsy in the facial muscles. The facial swelling almost resolved with medium-dose glucocorticoid therapy but relapsed in days at glucocorticoid doses lower than 15 mg/day. Combination therapy with either azathioprine, mycophenolate, or methotrexate was not successful in maintaining clinical remission, and the swelling became more severe after relapses. A US-guided core-needle biopsy was subsequently performed in the right masseter muscle. On pathologic examination, there was a patchy CD4 + T cell-dominant lymphoplasmacytic infiltration in the stroma, necrosis of the myofibrils and prominent perifascicular atrophy. Based on those findings, a diagnosis of clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis was made. Therapy with gamma-globulin was not effective in maintaining remission. In the sixth week after starting rituximab, she presented to emergency room with altered mental state from acute respiratory failure. Despite treatment with antibiotics, glucocorticoid pulse, cyclosporin, and polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column direct hemoperfusion, she died three weeks later from persistent hypoxemic respiratory failure.

CONCLUSIONS

This case showed the full spectrum and severity of internal organ involvement of dermatomyositis, although the patient presented exclusively with subcutaneous edema limited to the head. The prognosis may be more closely associated with a specific auto-antibody profile than the benign-looking initial clinical manifestation. Close follow-up of lung involvement with prophylactic treatment for Pneumocystis pneumonia and prompt implementation of emerging therapeutic regimens may improve the outcome.

[Fatal interstitial lung disease and pneumocystis during dermatomyositis associated with anti-MDA5 antibodies]

BACKGROUND

Dermatomyositis (DM) in an auto-immune inflammatory myopathy with skin lesions, and, occasionally, organ involvement. Herein, we report a case of DM during anti-MDA5 antibody therapy associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and pneumocystosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A 64-year-old woman was hospitalized for impairment of her general health and skin lesions. Dermatological examination revealed classic signs of DM associated with hyperkeratotic papules on the palm creases. This led us to suspect DM with anti-MDA5 antibodies, which was subsequently confirmed by immunologic tests. We also noted dysphonia, exertional dyspnea and proximal muscles weakness. Despite early corticosteroid therapy, combined later with azathioprine, the patient's dyspnoea worsened; one month later, sudden pulmonary decompensation resulted in her admission to intensive care. A chest scan showed evidence of ILD and infectious signs, and the bronchoalveolar lavage was positive for Pneumocystisjiroveci. Despite treatment of this opportunist infection with cotrimoxazole and intensified immunosuppression, the patient died in intensive care.

DISCUSSION

Anti-MDA5 antibodies are associated with a specific clinical phenotype and a high degree of risk that should alert the dermatologist to the high likelihood of ILD having a poor prognosis. Associated clinical signs are erythematous, hyperkeratotic or ulcerated papules on the palm creases, as well as fingertip or periungual ulcerations or digital necrosis. This situation is associated with a high risk of pneumocystosis. However, no recommendations concerning prophylaxis are currently available.

Unexpected SARS-CoV-2 cardiorespiratory arrest in a myopathy patient undergoing immunosuppressive treatment: A case report

RATIONALE

It is recommended that patients with Rheumatic diseases that are at high risk of developing active infections be screened for Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C before receiving second-line immunosuppressive therapies. With the emergence 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), expanded guidelines have not been proposed for screening in these patients before starting advanced therapy.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We present an unique circumstance whereas a patient with a 5 year history of inflammatory muscle disease, diagnosed by clinical history and muscle biopsy with elevated creatine kinase levels, suffered a hypoxemic cardiopulmonary arrest due to asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 after receiving advanced immunosuppressive therapy.

DIAGNOSES

The patient presented with an acute exacerbation of inflammatory muscle disease with dysphagia, muscle weakness, and elevated creatine kinase.

INTERVENTIONS

After no improvement with intravenous immunoglobulin the patient received mycophenolate and plasma exchange therapy.

OUTCOMES

Subsequently the patient suffered a fatal hypoxemic cardiopulmonary arrest. Polymerase chain reaction test was positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

LESSONS

We conclude that rheumatic patients, asymptomatic for SARS-CoV-2 infection, be screened and tested before initiating second-line immunosuppressive treatment.

Immunosuppressive and immunomodulator therapy for rare or uncommon skin disorders in pandemic days

Immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies are important in dermatology, but indications are influenced by SARS-CoV-2. We will focus on skin disorders such as autoimmune connective tissue disorders, neutrophilic dermatoses, and vasculitis. Immunomodulators such as colchicine and antimalarials can easily be preferred taking their beneficial effects on COVID-19 into consideration and also given their wide spectrum of action. Among the conventional therapies, methotrexate, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil increase the risk of infection, and thus their use is recommended only when necessary and at low doses. On the other hand, use of cyclosporine is also not recommended as it increases the risk of hypertension, which is susceptible to COVID-19. Anti-TNF agents from among the biological therapies appear to be slightly risky in terms of susceptibility to infection. However, there are ongoing studies which suggest that some biological treatments may reduce cytokine storm impeding the COVID-19 progression as a result, in spite of their susceptibilities to COVID-19. Patients, who will be started on immunosuppressive therapy, should be tested for COVID-19 prior to the therapy, and in the event that COVID-19 is suspected, the therapy should be discontinued.

Risk Factors and Prevention of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in Patients With Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases

Patients with autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) are prone to serious infectious complications such as Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). In non-HIV patients, the prognosis is poorer, and diagnostic tests are of lower sensitivity. Given the low incidence of PJP in AIIDs, with the exception of granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and the non-negligible side effects of chemoprophylaxis, routine prescription of primary prophylaxis is still debated. Absolute peripheral lymphopenia, high doses of corticosteroids, combination with other immunosuppressive agents, and concomitant lung disease are strong predictors for the development of PJP and thus should warrant primary prophylaxis. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is considered first-line therapy and is the most extensively used drug for PJP prophylaxis. Nevertheless, it may expose patients to side effects. Effective alternative drugs such as atovaquone or aerosolized pentamidine could be used when trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is not tolerated or contraindicated. No standard guidelines are available to guide PJP prophylaxis in patients with AIIDs. This review covers the epidemiology, risk factors, and prevention of pneumocystis in the context of AIIDs.

Targeted therapies for autoimmune/idiopathic nonmalignant diseases: risk and management of opportunistic infections

INTRODUCTION

The management of patients affected by autoimmune/idiopathic diseases has been revolutionized by the development of targeted therapies (TT). However, the use of TT is complicated by several adverse events, like opportunistic infections (OIs). The potential of TT to predispose to OIs mainly depends on the site of action; nevertheless, such associations are far from being deterministic, because many factors could increase the infection risk.

AREAS COVERED

The impact on the infective risk of different TT used for autoimmune/idiopathic diseases is far from being completely understood. Indeed, many post-marketing reports documented severe or unexpected infections in patients treated with TT that did not emerge during registrative trials. In this review, the authors attempt to provide an easy and practical update about the 'infectious' safety of TT and examine the management strategies of OIs and other infections more frequently observed in the course of treatment with TT.

EXPERT OPINION

The authors suggest to precisely schedule the clinical management of these subjects, both to prevent and eventually treat promptly the TT-related infectious complications. A coordinated approach should be implemented from different medical specialties to improve the overall understanding of safety of TT and, in general, the management of opportunistic infections in immune-compromised hosts.

Pneumocystis jirovecii in immunocompromised patients with rheumatic diseases

Infections, including opportunistic infections, are a major and frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic autoimmune and rheumatic diseases. Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, classically considered to be typical of HIV patients, transplanted patients or patients treated with oncological chemotherapy, is appearing increasingly frequently in these patients. Therefore, rheumatologists should know its mechanism of production, clinical manifestations, treatment and prophylaxis, all of which are addressed in this review.

A comprehensive systematic review of leishmaniasis in patients undergoing drug-induced immunosuppression for the treatment of dermatological, rheumatological and gastroenterological diseases

Immunosuppression is an important risk factor for leishmaniasis. We assessed the clinical profile, geographic distribution and prevalence of leishmaniasis in patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for dermatological, rheumatological or gastroenterological autoimmune diseases. We identified relevant studies in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and LILACS on July 3rd, 2018. We included articles that reported at least one case of leishmaniasis in patients undergoing immunosuppressive treatment for dermatological, rheumatological or gastroenterological diseases. Our protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018103050). We assessed the quality of the included studies with the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool. After the removal of duplicates, 5,431 articles were collected and screened. We included 138 articles; the prevalence of leishmaniasis in six methodologically similar studies varied from three to 1,282 cases per 100,000 patients using anti-TNFα drugs, but the results were significantly heterogeneous . Leishmaniasis in patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs is a health problem mostly reported in European countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea; sporadic activities, such as travelling, seem not to be associated with a significant risk of leishmaniasis, although effective control measures must always be observed.

Polymyositis/dermatomyositis is a potential risk factor for acute respiratory failure: a pulmonary heart disease

Background

Studies on the association between polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) and acute respiratory failure (ARF) are considerably limited. We investigated whether ARF is associated with PM/DM using a nationwide cohort study.

Methods

We identified 1,374 patients with newly diagnosed PM/DM and 13,740 comparison individuals without PM/DM (non-PM/DM) randomly selected from the general population; frequency matched by age, sex, and index year using the National Health Insurance Research Database; and followed up until the end of 2011 to measure the incidence of ARF. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to measure the hazard ratio (HR) of ARF for the PM/DM cohort in comparison with the non-PM/DM cohort.

Results

The adjusted HR of ARF was 5.05 for the PM/DM cohort compared with the non-PM/DM cohort after adjusting for sex, age, comorbidities, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score and medicine. The risk of ARF significantly increased irrespective of age, sex, comorbidities and medicine. Meanwhile, the PM/DM cohort with comorbidities, such as cardiac disease (hypertension), pulmonary disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia), and pulmonary vascular diseases had additive effects on the incident ARF.

Conclusions

This study determined the cross-reaction of pulmonary heart disease in the PM/DM cohort with incident ARF even without comorbidities.

Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia and Other Infections in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myositis

Purpose of Review

The management of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) can be complex and challenging due to the myriad of complications they can experience. The continued use of corticosteroids, in addition to the rise of combination immunosuppressive therapy, has contributed to the ongoing concern for infection. Perhaps the most feared infection in IIM patients is Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) given its infrequent occurrence yet high mortality. The field has been, and continues to be, without evidence-based guidelines to help clinicians determine which patients with IIM to prescribe prophylaxis. Herein, we review this literature to provide the clinician with an up-to-date view of infections in IIM.

Recent Findings

In the past 5 years, a number of studies have been reported highlighting various infectious complications, which help us better understand their frequency and associated risk factors. In addition, data has been published on the potential harms of PJP prophylaxis, to better inform the risk/benefit of our decision-making.

Summary

Infection remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in IIM. A better understanding of which patient subgroups are at risk for particular infections will inform optimal management strategies.

Incidence and prevalence of vaccine preventable infections in adult patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD): a systemic literature review informing the 2019 update of the EULAR recommendations for vaccination in adult patients with AIIRD

Objectives

The aims of this study were to update the evidence on the incidence and prevalence rates of vaccine preventable infections (VPI) in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) and compare the data to the general population when available.

Methods

A literature search was performed using Medline, Embase and Cochrane library (October 2009 to August 2018). The primary outcome was the incidence or prevalence of VPI in the adult AIIRD population. Meta-analysis was performed when appropriate.

Results

Sixty-three publications out of 3876 identified records met the inclusion criteria: influenza (n=4), pneumococcal disease (n=7), hepatitis B (n=10), herpes zoster (HZ) (n=29), human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (n=13). An increased incidence of influenza and pneumococcal disease was reported in patients with AIIRD. HZ infection-pooled incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 2.9 (95% CI 2.4 to 3.3) in patients with AIIRD versus general population. Among AIIRD, inflammatory myositis conferred the highest incidence rate (IR) of HZ (pooled IRR 5.1, 95% CI 4.3 to 5.9), followed by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (pooled IRR 4.0, 95% CI 2.3 to 5.7) and rheumatoid arthritis (pooled IRR 2.3, 95% CI 2.1 to 2.6). HPV infection-pooled prevalence ratio was 1.6, 95% CI 0.7 to 3.4 versus general population, based on studies mainly conducted in the SLE population in Latin America and Asia. Pooled prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core antibody in patients with AIIRD was similar to the general population, 3%, 95% CI 1% to 5% and 15%, 95% CI 7% to 26%, respectively.

Conclusion

Current evidence shows an increased risk of VPI in patients with AIIRD, emphasising that prevention of infections is essential in these patients.

Varicella zoster encephalitis in an immunocompromised patient presented with migraine type headache: A case report

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been increasingly linked with encephalitis and atypical presentations in immunosuppressed patients. We present a patient with history of immunosuppressant intake for polymyositis who initially presented with throbbing frontal headache that raised the suspicion of migraine. She did not respond to anti-migraine medication and later developed stimulus induced myoclonus. She then had significant neurological decline and eventually became encephalopathic. Her initial imaging of brain was unremarkable which warranted further investigations. She was then diagnosed to be VZV positive in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample that confirmed VZV encephalitis. She responded well to IV Acyclovir treatment and her neurological function improved significantly. In this case, there was delay in diagnosis of VZV in the setting of immunosuppression and non-specific clinical presentation. Therefore, we encourage to strongly consider early VZV diagnostic work up and treatment in immunocompromised patients who can present with non-specific symptoms without a typical cutaneous rash.

Unusual cause for intestinal perforation in juvenile dermatomyositis

We report a case of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) with cytomegalovirus (CMV) colitis which was further complicated with perforation. The patient, a 6-year-old girl, was diagnosed with JDM 1 month prior to the current presentation. After 2 weeks of optimising her treatment with steroid, intravenous Ig and methotrexate, she was readmitted with diffuse abdominal pain. Erect abdominal X-ray revealed gas under diaphragm. An exploratory laparotomy showed perforation of the large intestine. A biopsy showed inclusion bodies of CMV with immunohistochemistry for CMV positive. Strong positive CMV DNA PCR from tissue specimen, positive IgG CMV and negative IgM CMV in blood suggested a reactivation of CMV. The treatment followed included surgery and strategic use of antiviral agents as well as immunomodulators. CMV enteritis with complications should also be suspected in optimally treated autoimmune disease patients, including JDM, when they present with abdominal symptoms.

Methotrexate exposure and risk of strongyloidiasis

OBJECTIVE

Rheumatologic disease patients receiving immunomodulating drugs such as methotrexate (MTX) have increased infection rates. Strongyloides, a global endemic intestinal parasite, can cause significant or fatal disease in immunocompromised patients. The risk of serious Strongyloides infection with MTX dosed for rheumatologic disease is unknown.

METHODS

We performed a systematic literature review searching EMBASE, Medline and Web of Science databases. All studies reporting humans exposed to MTX and tested for Strongyloides were reviewed. Exclusion criteria were bone marrow transplantation, intrathecal route and MTX exposure completed >1 year prior to clinically apparent Strongyloides disease.

RESULTS

After excluding duplicates, 294 articles were reviewed. Of these, 29 cases were described in 27 papers. Twenty cases (69%) had an underlying rheumatologic or dermatologic disease, the rest had a haematologic disease. Hyperinfection or dissemination was found in 59% of cases (52% low-dose MTX; 75% high-dose MTX). Death occurred in 34% of cases (19% low-dose MTX; 75% high-dose MTX, P < 0.01). All eight patients on high-dose MTX received other immunosuppressants. Corticosteroids were taken in 18/21 patients on low-dose MTX. One of the three patients on MTX monotherapy had hyperinfection syndrome. None had disseminated Strongyloides.

CONCLUSIONS

Serious Strongyloides infection can occur with low-dose MTX particularly when given with other immunosuppression. Global travel and greater awareness of rheumatologic conditions in low- to middle-income countries will increase the exposure of individuals prescribed MTX (with or without corticosteroids) to Strongyloides. Strongyloides screening and treatment should be considered for individuals receiving low-dose MTX therapy, particularly if combined with additional immunosuppression.

Quantitative T2 mapping accelerated by GRAPPATINI for evaluation of muscles in patients with myositis

OBJECTIVE

Dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM) make up the largest group of potentially treatable myopathies and require early diagnosis. This study investigates whether the edema of thigh muscles in DM/PM can be quantitatively assessed by a novel accelerated T2 mapping technique-GRAPPATINI.

METHODS

Three conventional MR sequences and GRAPPATINI accelerated T2 mapping of bilateral thighs from 20 patients (7 DM and 13 PM) and 10 healthy volunteers were prospectively carried out on a 3 T MR scanner. Afterwards, T2 values of 477 thigh muscles from the patients and the healthy controls were manually measured. In addition, the correlations between T2 values and serum muscle enzymes in patients were also analyzed.

RESULTS

The new GRAPPATINI technique made quantitative T2 mapping of bilateral thighs feasible with a scanning time of only 2 min 18 s. Moreover, GRAPPATINI-generated T2 values of muscles from patients were markedly higher than those from healthy subjects (p < 0.001). GRAPPATINI accelerated T2 mapping appeared a more sensitive technique in that some DM/PM muscles appearing normal per conventional MRI had increased T2 relaxation time. Furthermore, GRAPPATINI-generated T2 values of DM/PM thigh muscles positively correlated with serum enzyme levels (p < 0.001), which reflected the severity of myopathy.

CONCLUSION

GRAPPATINI can significantly shorten acquisition time of T2 mapping and may potentially be applied clinically in DM and PM.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

GRAPPATINI acceleration makes T2 mapping feasible in clinical practice in providing quantitative information regarding thigh muscle inflammation in DM and PM.

The RIG-I pathway is involved in peripheral T cell lymphopenia in patients with dermatomyositis

BACKGROUND

Peripheral T cell lymphopenia is a clinical phenomenon in some patients with dermatomyositis (DM). Patients with T cell lymphopenia are more susceptible to life-threatening infections. However, the pathogenesis of T cell lymphopenia remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to determine retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) expression in peripheral T lymphocytes and explore the correlation between RIG-I and T cell lymphopenia in DM.

METHODS

The mRNA and protein expression levels of RIG-I were determined in peripheral T lymphocytes of 26 treatment-naive DM patients by q-PCR and Western blot. The apoptosis of peripheral T lymphocytes was detected by flow cytometry. The associations between RIG-I expression levels and clinical characteristics were investigated. In Jurkat cell, we examined the relationship between RIG-I and cell apoptosis following RIG-I overexpression or activation by specific ligand (pppRNA). The CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system was used for RIG-I knockout. Fas and caspase 3 were identified by Western blot. CCK8 colorimeter was performed to monitor cell proliferation.

RESULTS

In DM patients, we observed the peripheral T lymphocyte count decreased notably while the apoptosis of T lymphocytes increased significantly compared with healthy control. RIG-I expression levels in peripheral T cell correlated negatively with T cell count in DM patients. RIG-I protein expression decreased significantly, and the number of T cell increased when disease was improved. In Jurkat cells, increased apoptosis and elevated expression of Fas and cleaved-caspase 3 protein were observed following RIG-I overexpression or RIG-I-specific ligand (pppRNA) activation. Meanwhile, the proliferation of Jurkat cells was markedly reduced. Whereas, neither cell apoptosis nor the cell viability of the RIG-I knockout clones exhibited significant changes following pppRNA activation.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed for the first time that negative correlation between the increased RIG-I expression in peripheral T lymphocyte and T cell count in some patients with DM. We demonstrated that highly expressed RIG-I played a critical role in inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation of T lymphocyte in vitro. Therefore, RIG-I-mediated apoptosis may be one of the possible mechanisms of T cell lymphopenia in some patients with DM. These findings expand our existing knowledge on the mechanisms of innate immunity in pathogenesis and provide new therapeutic avenues for DM.

Guidelines of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology for the treatment of systemic autoimmune myopathies

BACKGROUND

Recommendations of the Myopathy Committee of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology for the management and therapy of systemic autoimmune myopathies (SAM).

MAIN BODY

The review of the literature was done in the search for the Medline (PubMed), Embase and Cochrane databases including studies published until June 2018. The Prisma was used for the systematic review and the articles were evaluated according to the levels of Oxford evidence. Ten recommendations were developed addressing the management and therapy of systemic autoimmune myopathies.

CONCLUSIONS

Robust data to guide the therapeutic process are scarce. Although not proven effective in controlled clinical trials, glucocorticoid represents first-line drugs in the treatment of SAM. Intravenous immunoglobulin is considered in induction for refractory cases of SAM or when immunosuppressive drugs are contra-indicated. Consideration should be given to the early introduction of immunosuppressive drugs. There is no specific period determined for the suspension of glucocorticoid and immunosuppressive drugs when individually evaluating patients with SAM. A key component for treatment in an early rehabilitation program is the inclusion of strength-building and aerobic exercises, in addition to a rigorous evaluation of these activities for remission of disease and the education of the patient and his/her caregivers.

Treatment consensus for management of polymyositis and dermatomyositis among rheumatologists, neurologists and dermatologists

Although rheumatologists, neurologists and dermatologists see patients with polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM), their management appears to vary depending on the physician's specialty. The aim of the present study was to establish the treatment consensus among specialists of the three fields to standardize the patient care. We formed a research team supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan. Clinical questions (CQ) on the management of PM and DM were raised. A published work search on CQ was performed primarily using PubMed. Using the nominal group technique, qualified studies and results in the published work were evaluated and discussed to reach consensus recommendations. They were sent out to the Japan College of Rheumatology, Japanese Society of Neurology and Japanese Dermatological Association for their approval. We reached a consensus in 23 CQ and made recommendations and a decision tree for management was proposed. They were officially approved by the three scientific societies. In conclusion, a multidisciplinary treatment consensus for the management of PM and DM was established for the first time.

Autoimmune Myopathies: Updates on Evaluation and Treatment

The major forms of autoimmune myopathies include dermatomyositis (DM), polymyositis (PM), myositis associated with antisynthetase syndrome (ASS), immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM), and inclusion body myositis (IBM). While each of these conditions has unique clinical and histopathological features, they all share an immune-mediated component. These conditions can occur in isolation or can be associated with systemic malignancies or connective tissue disorders (overlap syndromes). As more has been learned about these conditions, it has become clear that traditional classification schemes do not adequately group patients according to shared clinical features and prognosis. Newer classifications are now utilizing myositis-specific autoantibodies which correlate with clinical and histopathological phenotypes and risk of malignancy, and help in offering prognostic information with regard to treatment response. Based on observational data and expert opinion, corticosteroids are considered first-line therapy for DM, PM, ASS, and IMNM, although intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is increasingly being used as initial therapy in IMNM related to statin use. Second-line agents are often required, but further prospective investigation is required regarding the optimal choice and timing of these agents.

Pneumocystis Pneumonia and the Rheumatologist: Which Patients Are At Risk and How Can PCP Be Prevented?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Immunosuppressive therapy for connective tissue diseases (CTDs) is steadily becoming more intense. The resultant impairment in cell-mediated immunity has been accompanied by an increasing risk for opportunistic infection (OI). Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) has been recognized as an OI in patients with CTDs, but specific risk factors and precise indications for PCP prophylaxis remain poorly defined. This review was undertaken to update information on the risk of PCP in patients with CTDs and to examine current guidelines for PCP prophylaxis in this population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Data on the occurrence of PCP and indications for prophylaxis in patients with CTDs is sparse. Large systematic reviews did not incorporate patients with CTD secondary to the lack of randomized control trials. Upon reviewing guidelines published since 2015, prophylaxis for PCP is recommended only for patients with ANCA-positive vasculitis, specifically granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), who are undergoing intense induction therapy. Evidence-based recommendations for the prophylaxis of PCP in patients with CTDs cannot be provided. There is expert consensus that PCP prophylaxis is warranted in patients with GPA undergoing induction therapy. Prophylaxis should perhaps also be considered for other CTD patients who are receiving similar intense immunosuppressive therapy especially if they are lymphopenic or have a low CD4 count.

Sarcoidosis Increases Risk of Hospitalized Infection. A Population-based Study, 1976-2013

RATIONALE

Patients with sarcoidosis may have an increased risk of infection similar to other immune-mediated disorders. However, the data are still limited.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the risk of hospitalized infection among patients with sarcoidosis, using a population-based cohort.

METHODS

Using the Rochester Epidemiology Project record-linkage system, a cohort of incident cases of sarcoidosis in Olmsted County, Minnesota from 1976 to 2013 was identified. Diagnosis was confirmed by individual medical record review. For each patient with sarcoidosis, a sex- and age-matched comparator without sarcoidosis was randomly selected from the same population. Medical records of cases and comparators were individually reviewed for hospitalized infection that occurred after the index date. The cumulative incidence of hospitalized infection overall and by type of infection, adjusted for the competing risk of death, was estimated. Cox models were used to compare the rate of first hospitalized infection between cases and comparators and to evaluate the association between use of immunosuppressive agents and hospitalized infection among cases.

RESULTS

Three hundred and forty-five cases and 345 comparators were identified. Patients with sarcoidosis had a higher risk of a hospitalized infection with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.00 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41-2.84), adjusted for age, sex, and calendar year of index date. Use of oral glucocorticoids was a significant predictor of hospitalized infection with an HR of 3.03 (95% CI, 1.33-6.90) for oral glucocorticoids not exceeding 10 mg/day and an HR of 4.48 (95% CI, 1.54-13.03) for oral glucocorticoids greater than 10 mg/day.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with sarcoidosis are at increased risk of hospitalized infection. Glucocorticoid therapy is strongly associated with this increased risk.

Hospitalization mortality and associated risk factors in patients with polymyositis and dermatomyositis: A retrospective case-control study

BACKGROUND

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM) are systemic autoimmune diseases with multiple organ involvements that manifest as muscular and cutaneous disorders, interstitial lung disease (ILD) and malignancies. However, information concerning the outcomes and associated factors for PM/DM patients who are hospitalized is limited.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of PM/DM patients admitted to a Chinese tertiary referral hospital (Peking Union Medical College Hospital, PUMCH) from 2008 to 2014. The deceased group included 63 patients who had "deceased discharge" status or were confirmed to have died within two weeks of hospital discharge. The demographic data, clinical manifestations, and direct causes of death were analyzed retrospectively. Medical records for 126 age- and sex-matched PM/DM patients were selected as controls from 982 inpatients successively admitted to the same center during the same period. In addition to the comparison of clinical manifestations between the two groups, binary logistic regression was conducted to explore the risk factors related to PM/DM mortality.

RESULTS

Over the past 6 years at PUMCH, the in-hospital mortality rate of PM/DM patients was 4.58%. The male gender and the elder patients had a high risk of death (P = 0.031 and P = 0.001 respectively). The three most frequent causes of death for PM/DM patients were pulmonary infection (35%), ILD exacerbation (21%) or both conditions (25%). Pulmonary infection (P<0.001, OR = 5.63, 95% CI, 2.37-13.36), pneumomediastinum (P = 0.041, OR = 11.02, 95%CI, 1.10-110.54), Gottron's papules (P = 0.010, OR = 3.24, 95%CI, 1.32-7.97), and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P = 0.005, OR = 9.9, 95%CI 2.0-49.0) were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality of PM/DM patients.

CONCLUSION

PM/DM patients continue to display high in-hospital mortality. Pulmonary infection is the strongest predictor of poor prognosis in PM/DM patients, followed by pneumomediastinum, Gottron's papules, and elevated ESR.

The predictive prognostic factors for polymyositis/dermatomyositis-associated interstitial lung disease

BACKGROUND

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the principal cause of death in polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM). Here we investigated prognostic factors for death and serious infection in PM/DM-ILD using the multicenter database.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed baseline demographic, clinical and laboratory findings, treatment regimens and outcomes in patients with PM/DM-ILD. The distribution of ILD lesions was evaluated in four divided lung zones of high-resolution computed tomography images.

RESULTS

Of 116 patients with PM/DM-ILD, 14 died within 6 months from the diagnosis. As independent risk factors for early death, extended ILD lesions in upper lung fields (odds ratio (OR) 8.01, p = 0.016) and hypocapnia (OR 6.85, p = 0.038) were identified. Serious infection was found in 38 patients, including 11 patients who died of respiratory or multiple infections. The independent risk factors were high serum KL-6 (OR 3.68, p = 0.027), high initial dose of prednisolone (PSL) (OR 4.18, p = 0.013), and combination immunosuppressive therapies (OR 5.51, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The present study shows the progression of ILD at baseline is the most critical for survival and that infection, especially respiratory infection, is an additive prognostic factor under the potent immunosuppressive treatment.

Opportunistic infections in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

AIM

To describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics and risk factors of opportunistic infection (OI) in a cohort of patients with inflammatory myopathies, and compare mortality rates between those with and without OIs.

METHODS

In total, 204 patients from our myositis cohort were reviewed to identify patients who had experienced an OI during the period 1986-2014. The patients' clinical characteristics, treatments received, and outcomes were systematically recorded. Disease activity at the OI diagnosis and the cumulative doses of immunosuppressive drugs were analyzed, as well as the specific pathogens involved and affected organs.

RESULTS

The prevalence of OI in the total cohort was 6.4%: viruses, 44.4% (varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus); bacteria, 22.2% (Salmonella sp., Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. chelonae); fungi, 16.7% (Candida albicans, Pneumocystis jirovecii); and parasites, 16.7% (Toxoplasmosis gondii, Leishmania spp.). Lung and skin/soft tissues were the organs most commonly affected (27.8%). Overall, 55.6% of OIs developed during the first year after the myositis diagnosis and OI was significantly associated with administration of high-dose glucocorticoids (P = 0.0148). Fever at onset of myositis (P = 0.0317), biological therapy (P < 0.001) and sequential administration of four or more immunosuppressive agents during myositis evolution (P = 0.0032) were significantly associated with OI. All-cause mortality in the OI group was 3.69 deaths per 100 patients/year versus 3.40 in the remainder of the cohort (P = 0.996).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of OI was 6.4% in our myositis cohort, higher than the rest of the inpatients of our hospital (1.7%; P < 0.01). High-dose glucocorticoids at disease onset and severe immunosuppression are the main factors implicated.

Infections and the relationship to treatment in neuromuscular autoimmunity

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to identify infections in patients with myasthenia gravis, dermatomyositis, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, and to investigate the relationship between infection and immunomodulation.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review examined 631 patients with myasthenia gravis (n = 358), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (n = 124), and dermatomyositis (n = 149) patients over a 10-year time period.

RESULTS

Infection rates were similar at approximately 19% in all 3 diseases. Of the infections in which a causative organism was identified, pneumonia, sepsis, and opportunistic infections were the leading diagnoses. A multivariate model demonstrated a significant association between infection and an increased dose of plasma exchange, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroid therapy.

DISCUSSION

There are few large studies investigating rates of infections in patients with autoimmune neuromuscular disorders and the relationship to immunomodulation. This study not only demonstrates the remarkably similar infection rates across the 3 diseases studied, but also shows their relationship to commonly used immunotherapies. Muscle Nerve 57: 927-931, 2018.

Epidemiology and management of healthcare-associated bloodstream infections in non-neutropenic immunosuppressed patients: a review of the literature

Advancements in medicine have led to a considerable increase in the proportion of patients living with severe chronic diseases, malignancies, and HIV infections. Most of these conditions are associated with acquired immune-deficient states and treatment-related immunosuppression. Although infections as a result of neutropenia have long been recognized and strategies for management were developed, non-neutropenic immunosuppression has been overlooked. Recently, community-acquired infections in patients with frequent, significant exposure to healthcare settings and procedures have been classified as 'healthcare-associated infections' since they are more similar to hospital-acquired infections. Most of the non-neutropenic immunosuppressed patients have frequent contact with the healthcare system due to their chronic and severe diseases. In this review, we focus on the healthcare-associated bloodstream infections in the most common non-neutropenic immunosuppressive states and provide an update of the recent evidence for the management of these infections.

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of sarcoidosis: an update from a population-based cohort study from Olmsted County, Minnesota

Information about the epidemiology, clinical manifestations and comorbidities of sarcoidosis among Caucasians is relatively scarce. This review focuses primarily on the data from a recently published Caucasianpredominant population-based cohort from Olmsted County, Minnesota. Overall, the incidence rate was 10.0 per 100,000 population, which suggested that sarcoidosis is less common in Caucasians than in Blacks, but is more common in Caucasians than in Asians. Intrathoracic involvement was seen in the vast majority of patients, but less than half have respiratory symptoms. The most common extra-thoracic manifestations were skin rash followed by arthralgia, ophthalmologic involvement, hepatic involvement, splenomegaly, renal involvement, neurological involvement, extra-thoracic lymphadenopathy, exocrine gland involvement, upper respiratory tract involvement and cardiac involvement. Compared to sex and age-matched subjects, patients with sarcoidosis suffer from increased rates of cardiovascular disease, venous thromboembolism and hospitalized infection.