Enfermedades autoinflamatorias sistémicas hereditarias. Síndromes hereditarios de fiebre periódica

Monogenic autoinflammatory diseases: General concepts and presentation in adult patients

Monogenic autoinflammatory diseases (AIFD) are rare disorders characterized by an uncontrolled increase of the systemic inflammatory response, which is caused by mutations in genes involved in inflammatory pathways. Over the last few years, new genes and proteins responsible for new monogenic AIFD have been identified and a substantial improvement in their treatment has been achieved. Monogenic AIFD manifestations typically begin during childhood, but they can also occur in adults. Compared to pediatric patients, adults usually present with a less severe disease and fewer long-term complications. In addition, patients with adult-onset disease carry low-penetrance mutations more often than pathogenic variants. A late-onset of AIFD may be occasionally associated with the presence of somatic mutations. In this study, we review the most frequent monogenic AIFD, and others recently described, which may occur during adulthood.

Etanercept-induced myelopathy in a pediatric case of blau syndrome

Blau syndrome is a rare autoinflammatory disorder within the group of pediatric granulomatous diseases. Mutations in nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2/CARD15) are responsible for this condition, which has an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance and variable expressivity. The clinical picture includes arthritis, uveitis, skin rash, and granulomatous inflammation. Central nervous system involvement is seldom reported, although some isolated cases of seizures, neurosensorial hearing loss, and transient cranial nerve palsy have been described. Treatment consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressive agents, among which anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha (TNF-α) biologic agents, such as etanercept, play an important role. Among the major adverse effects of TNF-α inhibitors, demyelinating disease, multiple sclerosis, and acute transverse myelitis have been reported in adults. We describe a case of pediatric Blau syndrome affected by etanercept-induced myelopathy, manifesting as a clinical syndrome of transverse myelitis. The patient experienced rapid recovery after etanercept was discontinued. To our knowledge, this is the first such case reported in the literature and, possibly, the one with the latest onset, following 8 years of treatment. We discuss the etiopathogenic mechanisms of this reaction and possible explanations for the imaging findings.

[Consensus Document on the differential diagnosis and therapeutic approach to recurrent fever by the Paediatric Infectology Society and the Paediatric Rheumatology Society]

Recurrent fever is a relatively common problem during childhood. Diagnosis is often easy and related to mild viral infections. However a small proportion of these cases originate from an underlying non-infectious process that is generally difficult to diagnose. In this paper we describe the differential diagnosis of recurrent or periodic fever versus other processes, with especial attention to autoinflammatory disorders (AD). AD are alterations of innate immunity, and they have been recently classified as an immunodeficiency. Anyhow, since infections are not present, these processes are different to the classic primary immunodeficiency. An important part of AD is of known genetic aetiology. The symptoms originate from an underlying inflammatory process and can have different clinical expressions. One of the most relevant groups is the hereditary syndromes of periodic fever. This group of diseases associates recurrent fever and several clinical symptoms with a relative periodicity, separated by intervals free or almost free of symptoms. We include the diagnostic criteria for some processes as well as the characteristics that should, eventually, lead to a genetic study. Although treatment should be individualised, we also include some general recommendations.

[Young woman with relapsing arthritis]

A 28-years old lady complains of self-limited episodes of relapsing knee arthritis of 48-72h of duration every 2 weeks. Immunological profile was all negative. At the same time, radiological images did not reveal any abnormality. She underwent to knee arthroscopy, however, a definite diagnosis was not reached. We discuss the differential diagnosis of relapsing arthritis.

Current concepts in immunology

The annual Congress of the Spanish Immunology Society is the forum at which clinical immunologists and scientists communicate novel findings in the field. This year's meeting was held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, from 21 to 24 May 2008. It was opened and organized by Nuria Matamoros, head of the Immunology Department of Hospital Son Dureta, Mallorca, Spain. The meeting comprised an opening lecture, four highly successful plenary sessions, 11 oral and poster sessions where recent results of different groups were shown, four workshops in which interlaboratory studies of quality control on different immune tests were discussed and a closing lecture. Some of the most interesting plenary presentations given at this meeting are summarized.