The relationship between facial annular erythema and anti-SS-A/Ro antibodies in three East Asian women

Annular Erythemas and Purpuras

Annular dermatoses are a heterogeneous and extremely diverse group of skin diseases, which share in common annular, ring-like patterns with centrifugal spreading. Numerous skin diseases can sometimes display annular lesions, but some specific skin conditions are originally annular. We take the opportunity to review here mainly the causes of primary annular erythemas and their differential diagnoses, but also the rare causes of annular purpuras.

Annular erythema in primary Sjögren’s syndrome: description of 43 non-Asian cases

Objective

The objective of this paper is to evaluate the prevalence and characterize the main epidemiological, clinical and immunological features of annular erythema (AE) in non-Asian patients with primary Sjögren’s syndrome (SS).

Methods

We carried out a retrospective study searching for AE in 377 Spanish patients with primary SS fulfilling the 2002 American-European criteria. In addition, we searched PubMed (1994–2012) using the MeSH terms “annular erythema” and “primary Sjögren’s syndrome” for additional cases. All cases with AE reported in patients with SS associated with systemic lupus erythematosus were excluded.

Results

In our Spanish cohort, we found 35 (9%) patients diagnosed with AE. All were white females, with a mean age of 47 years at diagnosis of AE. AE preceded diagnosis of SS in 27 (77%) patients. Cutaneous AE lesions involved principally the face and upper extremities. All patients reported photosensitivity, with cutaneous flares being reported during the warmest months in 93% of patients. Immunological markers consisted of anti-Ro/La antibodies in 31 (89%) patients. In the literature search, we identified eight additional non-Asian patients with primary SS diagnosed with AE. In comparison with 52 Asian patients, the 43 non-Asian patients with AE related to primary SS were more frequently women (100% vs 78%, p = 0.008), and cutaneous lesions were less frequently reported in the face (55% vs 81%, p = 0.045) and more frequently in the neck (40% vs 14%, p = 0.041). Immunologically, non-Asian patients had a lower frequency of anti-Ro antibodies and a higher frequency of negative Ro/La antibodies, although the differences were not statistically significant.

Conclusion

AE is not an exclusive cutaneous feature of Asian patients with primary SS. In addition to the characteristic cutaneous expression, AE has a very specific clinical and immunological profile: often presenting before the fulfillment of SS criteria, overwhelmingly associated with anti-Ro antibodies but weakly associated with other immunological markers and the main systemic SS-related features.

Annular erythema associated with Sjögren's syndrome: review of the literature on the management and clinical analysis of skin lesions

Annular erythema has been recognized to be a specific, cutaneous manifestation associated with Sjögren's syndrome. Based on a search of the literature up to 2007, annular erythema with Sjögren's syndrome (AESS) preferentially occurs in Asian but not in Western populations. However, the precise clinical course and standard regimen for the management of AESS have remained obscure, primarily because of its rare occurrence in Western populations and the fact that most Asian cases are isolated reports. In this study, 28 cases of AESS from our department and 92 cases distilled from the literature were enrolled in a retrospective study to evaluate the clinical characteristics and most desirable management of this skin manifestation in Sjögren's syndrome. We found that 75% of all cases with AESS were positive for both anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies. Multiple therapeutic options are available to treat AESS, including oral steroids. Several anti-malaria drugs or tacrolimus ointment have also been reported to be effective against AESS. AESS is a distinct clinical entity, and a small dose of prednisolone (approx. 10 mg) is sufficient to control diseases activity, except in some cases with systemic manifestations, and this treatment has a more rapid clinical effect than topical steroids.

Cutaneous findings in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by exocrine gland involvement. It is reported that the skin is affected in nearly half of SS patients. Cutaneous manifestations consist of xerosis, angular cheilitis, eyelid dermatitis, pruritus, cutaneous vasculitis (frequently manifesting as palpable purpura), and erythema annulare. Most of them are nonspecific and less severe than the oral, ocular, or musculoskeletal symptoms. We present two patients with primary SS who have many cutaneous manifestations including erythema annulare and pernio-like lesions and review the literature about this topic.

Autoantibodies against cerebral muscarinic cholinoceptors in Sjögren syndrome: functional and pathological implications

Previous studies have demonstrated that antibodies against muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) from exocrine glands, correlates with Sjögren syndrome (SS) in the majority of patients. The aim of the present investigation was to establish if serum IgG antibodies present in SS interacts with cerebral mAChRs. Results show that anti-cerebral IgG are present in the sera of 40% SS patients studied. Autoantibodies were able to interact with mAChRs of cerebral frontal cortex membranes inhibiting the [(3)H]QNB binding to its specific receptor. Moreover, tested by ELISA and dot blot they recognized the synthetic peptides corresponding to the second extracellular loop of human M(1) and M(3) mAChR. In addition, the corresponding affinity-purified anti-M(1) and anti-M(3) peptide IgGs displayed an agonistic activity, stimulating phosphoinositide hydrolysis. The results support the notion that serum IgG autoantibodies in SS patients target cerebral mAChRs may have some role in the pathogenesis of higher cognitive dysfunction present in SS patients.

Photoprovocation test and immunohistochemical analysis of inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in patients with Sjögren's syndrome associated with photosensitivity

BACKGROUND

Annular erythema (AE) in Sjögren's syndrome (SS) usually develops on areas of sun-exposed skin and is exacerbated during summer.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate photosensitivity in SS and to investigate the involvement of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the development of AE in SS.

METHODS

Phototesting with UVA and UVB was performed on 14 SS patients, including 10 with primary SS. Clinical and histological features as well as expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the evoked skin lesions were compared with those of lupus erythematosus (LE). Eleven SS patients had a history of photosensitive AE (n = 4), papules (n = 3) or other types (n = 4) of lesions on their sun-exposed skin that were induced or aggravated by sunlight exposure.

RESULTS

Phototesting induced a prolonged erythematous response (n = 8), infiltrated erythema (IE) (n = 4) and/or papules (n = 3) in 11 of 14 SS patients, including one with primary SS without a history of photosensitivity. Histologically, the induced IE and papules showed coat-sleeve-like or sparse perivascular infiltration of lymphocytes similar to that in primary skin lesions of AE in SS. No epidermal changes characteristic for LE were found except for partial and mild liquefaction degeneration in three cases. In contrast, two cases were indistinguishable from the papular type of polymorphic light eruption in several aspects, including their primary skin lesions and early response to a photoprovocation test. Immunohistochemistry revealed diffuse expression of iNOS throughout the epidermis, which is characteristic for LE, in the three SS patients with minimal liquefaction degeneration, while the remaining seven SS patients examined exhibited no iNOS staining or a normal expression pattern.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that photosensitivity exists in certain primary SS patients, and that UV is critical to the development of AE in SS, probably through a pathological mechanism distinct from that in LE.

Update in Sjögren syndrome

Sjögren syndrome (SS), the second most common autoimmune rheumatic disease, refers to keratoconjunctivitis sicca and xerostomia resulting from immune lymphocytes that infiltrate the lacrimal and salivary glands. However, differential diagnosis remains confusing due to the high prevalence of vague symptoms of dryness, fatigue, and myalgias in the general population. The problems of diagnosis are further compounded by the finding of "positive" antinuclear antibodies in a high percent of the general population. Unless minor salivary gland biopsies are read by experienced observers, nonspecific changes of sialadenitis are frequently confused with the focal lymphocytic infiltrates that are characteristic of SS. The distinction between fibromyalgia patients with low titer antinuclear antibodies and primary SS remains difficult. Even in patients fulfilling strict criteria for SS, the genomic search for critical genes has proven difficult due to the multigenic pattern of inheritance and strong role of currently undefined environmental factors. No single environmental factor has been detected in the majority of SS patients. SS-like syndrome has been detected in certain patients with HTLV-1 and hepatitis C infection, providing clues to pathogenesis. Even in SS patients with marked sicca symptoms, minor salivary gland biopsy shows that almost 50% of glandular cells are still detected on biopsy. These results imply the importance of immune factors such as cytokines and autoantibodies in decreasing neuro-secretory circuits and induction of glandular dysfunction. Of potential importance, an antibody against muscarinic M3 receptor that can decrease secretory function when injected into rodents is frequently found in the sera of SS patients. Newly developed topical and oral therapies can ease the oral and ocular dryness. Orally administered agonists of the muscarinic M3 receptor (pilocarpine and cevimeline) have recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to increase salivary secretion. Topical ocular use of low-dose corticosteroids or cyclosporin may decrease conjunctival surface inflammation. In a Phase II double-blind study, orally administered interferon alpha (150 U) led to improved saliva flow and symptoms. In pregnant patients with evidence of fetal distress, oral dexamethasone is preferred because this agent crosses the placenta effectively. In animal models, antagonists of tumor necrosis factor and inhibitors of de novo pyrimidine synthesis appear promising.