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Dar S, Koirala S, Khan A, Bellary MD, Patel AV, Mathew B, Singh R, Baigam N, Razzaq W, Abdin ZU, Khawaja UA. A Comprehensive Literature Review on Managing Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Addressing Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Females and Its Autoimmune Disease Associations. Cureus 2023; 15:e43725. [PMID: 37727166 PMCID: PMC10505685 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.43725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This review aimed to evaluate the mechanism of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, particularly in the female population, and emphasize the need for early management interventions; explore the association between SLE and two autoimmune diseases, myasthenia gravis (MG) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), and their management strategies; and evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in managing SLE, focusing on premenopausal females, females of childbearing age, and pregnant patients. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to achieve these objectives using various databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane. The collected data were analyzed and synthesized to provide an evidence-based overview of SLE, its management strategies as an independent disease, and some disease associations. The treatment should be focused on remission, preventing organ damage, and improving the overall quality of life (QOL). Extensive emphasis should also be focused on diagnosing SLE and concurrent underlying secondary diseases timely and managing them appropriately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saleha Dar
- Department of Adult Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, USA
| | - Sabina Koirala
- Department of Medicine, Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara, NPL
| | - Arooba Khan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, PAK
| | | | - Arya V Patel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Smt. Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand (NHL) Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, IND
| | - Bejoi Mathew
- Department of Internal Medicine, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar, IND
| | - Rahul Singh
- Department of Medicine, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, IND
| | - Nahida Baigam
- Department of Medicine, Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA), Westmont, USA
| | - Waleed Razzaq
- Department of Internal Medicine, Services Hospital Lahore, Lahore, PAK
| | - Zain U Abdin
- Department of Medicine, District Head Quarter Hospital, Faisalabad, PAK
| | - Uzzam Ahmed Khawaja
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, PAK
- Department of Clinical and Translational Research, Dr. Ferrer BioPharma, South Miami, USA
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Kobza A, Keenan M, Ivory C. Mixed connective tissue disease after thymectomy in refractory myasthenia gravis. Rheumatol Int 2021; 42:2077-2084. [PMID: 34432146 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-021-04976-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Connective tissue diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis are classic models of autoimmunity; diseases with large-scale loss of tolerance and subsequent development of pathogenic autoreactive lymphocytes and tissue targeting autoantibodies. Here we report a case of mixed connective tissue disease, with features of systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis developing in a patient 10 years post thymectomy for myasthenia gravis. The patient developed acute cutaneous lupus, Raynaud's with digital ulcers, arthritis and lymphopenia. Her myasthenia continued to be resistant to treatment and her rheumatic disease progressed despite aggressive therapy. We performed a database search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles of similar cases post thymectomy from inception to August 2021, using the terms "systemic lupus erythematosus" (or systemic sclerosis, or connective tissue disease) and "myasthenia gravis" and "thymectomy". We identified 41 cases, 28 of SLE post thymectomy, 8 related to systemic sclerosis, 5 with mixed connective tissue disease and highlighted their different presentation and serology. We explore the role of the thymus, tolerance and myasthenia gravis in the development of connective tissue disease. This highlights the complexity of concurrent autoimmune diseases and their autoantibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Kobza
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Marissa Keenan
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Catherine Ivory
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada. .,Clinical Epidemiology Program, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Ali M, Riad M, Adhikari P, Bhattarai S, Gupta A, Ali E, Mostafa JA. Association Between Myasthenia Gravis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus as a Comorbid State. Cureus 2021; 13:e14719. [PMID: 34055558 PMCID: PMC8158067 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.14719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and myasthenia gravis (MG) are autoimmune states which have presentational similitude. Both conditions test serologically positive for anti-nuclear antibodies and require exceptional differential diagnostic acumen to segregate one from the other. The hypothesized factors provoking these diseases may be immunological, genetic, hormonal, or environmental and can be better understood by large-scale controlled epidemiological studies. Biochemical factors such as variation in CXC (an α chemokine subfamily), CXCL13, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor levels are assumed to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of SLE and MG; however, further studies are required to understand their exact mechanism and effect on the underlying autoimmune diseases.
Following this, another precipitating factor for this overlap is believed to be thymectomy which is performed to eliminate MG symptoms. Although thymectomy is the effective treatment modality in MG patients, other findings and data support the view that this procedure may lead to the development of other autoimmune states such as SLE. It is evident from previously published data and case reports that patients with one autoimmune disease who underwent thymectomy contracted SLE and became more susceptible to other autoimmune diseases compared to the general population. Post-thymectomy follow-up of patients provides us with mechanistic clues for understanding the development of SLE-MG overlap; hence, in MG patients who have undergone thymectomy, any clinical and immune serological SLE suspicion should be carefully evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moeez Ali
- Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Mohamed Riad
- Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Prakash Adhikari
- Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA.,Internal Medicine, Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens, USA
| | - Sanket Bhattarai
- Research, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Ashish Gupta
- Research, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Eiman Ali
- Research, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
| | - Jihan A Mostafa
- Psychiatry, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences & Psychology, Fairfield, USA
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Miskovic R, Plavsic A, Peric-Popadic A, Raskovic S, Bogic M. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Secondary Antiphospholipid Syndrome after Thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis - A Case Report. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2015; 3:439-42. [PMID: 27275267 PMCID: PMC4877836 DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2015.096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Revised: 08/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and myasthenia gravis (MG) are autoimmune diseases that show some similarities: a higher incidence in young women, relapsing-remitting course and positive anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA). However, they are two different clinical syndromes, which can coexist or precede each other. Thymectomy is a therapeutic option for patients with severe MG or thymoma. There are many cases of SLE after thymectomy described in the literature, so the question arises whether thymectomy predisposes patients to SLE and what are imunopathogenetic mechanisms behind this process. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a patient who was diagnosed with SLE and secondary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) 28 years after thymectomy for MG. Clinical picture of SLE was characterized by cutaneous and articular manifestations, polyserositis, lupus nephritis and immunological parameters showed positive ANA, anti-ds-DNA, excessive consumption of complement components, positive cryoglobulins. Clinical and laboratory immunological parameters for the diagnosis of secondary APS where also present. The patient was initially treated with glucocorticoids followed by mycophenolate mofetil. During one year follow-up patient was in a stable remission of SLE. CONCLUSION: Thymectomy for MG may predispose SLE development in some patients. Further studies are needed to better understand the connection between these two autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rada Miskovic
- Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Allergology and Immunology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Plavsic
- Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Allergology and Immunology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Sanvila Raskovic
- Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Allergology and Immunology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Mirjana Bogic
- Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Allergology and Immunology, Belgrade, Serbia
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The association of systemic lupus erythematosus and myasthenia gravis: a series of 17 cases, with a special focus on hydroxychloroquine use and a review of the literature. J Neurol 2011; 259:1290-7. [PMID: 22160434 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-011-6335-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2011] [Revised: 11/16/2011] [Accepted: 11/17/2011] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The coexistence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and myasthenia gravis (MG) is rarely reported, and most of the published studies are case reports. Hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial agent, is an essential treatment in patients with SLE but special caution is recommended when used in MG patients. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, laboratory findings, and outcome of 17 patients with both diseases with a special focus regarding hydroxychloroquine use and with a review of the literature. All patients were women. The mean age at MG onset and SLE diagnosis was 34.5 [14-64] and 37.8 [18-72] years, respectively. The presenting symptoms of MG were limb weakness (94%), ocular (88%) and bulbar involvement (53%). Autoantibodies against the acetylcholine receptor were positive in 94% of cases. The main manifestations of SLE included arthritis (88%), cytopenias (53%) and skin rash (41%). Treatment of SLE required hydroxychloroquine (94%), steroids (47%) and immunosuppressive drugs (18%). Among eight patients (47%) who developed MG after initiation of hydroxychloroquine, the question of induction of MG by hydroxychloroquine was raised in one patient. On the other hand, an exacerbation of myasthenic symptoms was only seen in one of the eight patients who received hydroxychloroquine after the diagnosis of MG. Including our cases, we reviewed a total of 70 patients with SLE and MG. Compared with a large series of 1,000 unselected SLE patients, those with associated MG were older, had lower incidence of cutaneous, renal, and neurological manifestations, and higher frequency of anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant. In conclusion, the clinical pattern of patients with SLE and MG seems to be characterized by a less severe course of SLE and higher frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies. Hydroxychloroquine treatment appears to be safe in this setting.
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Castrejón I, Shum K, Tseng CE, Askanase A. Association between myasthaenia gravis and systemic lupus erythematosus: three case reports and review of the literature. Scand J Rheumatol 2011; 40:486-90. [DOI: 10.3109/03009742.2011.575077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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