Rapidly progressive diffuse systemic sclerosis after local vitamins A, D and E complex injections: literature review and report of two cases

The term autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) or Shoenfeld's syndrome refers to a wide group of immune-mediated diseases triggered by external agents. Several substances, such as vaccine adjuvants, squalene and silicone implants, are implied in the pathogenesis of ASIA syndrome. Treatment and prognosis of this complex condition are not completely known due to lack of good quality evidence. After a brief introductory literature review on ASIA, we report here two cases of patients that developed rapidly progressive systemic sclerosis clinical features after multiple intramuscular local injections of a substance recommended by a non-medical professional called ADE. ADE is an oily vitamin complex for veterinary use, and it was used in these cases for cosmetic muscular definition and enhancement purpose. To our knowledge, this is the first paper to describe the relation between injections of ADE and the development of ASIA with severe systemic sclerosis phenotype. Further investigation is needed to better understand the pathophysiology and to provide the basis for the treatment of this condition.

Selective elevation of circulating CCL2/MCP1 levels in patients with longstanding post-vaccinal macrophagic myofasciitis and ASIA

Several medical conditions sharing similar signs and symptoms may be related to immune adjuvants. These conditions described as ASIA (Autoimmune/inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants), include a condition characterized by macrophagic myofasciitis (MMF) assessing long-term persistence of vaccine derived-alum adjuvants into macrophages at sites of previous immunization. Despite increasing data describing clinical manifestations of ASIA have been reported, biological markers are particularly lacking for their characterization and follow up. We report an extensive cytokine screening performed in serum from 44 MMF patients compared both to sex and age matched healthy controls and to patients with various types of inflammatory neuromuscular diseases. Thirty cytokines were quantified using combination of Luminex® technology and ELISA. There was significant mean increase of serum levels of the monocytechemoattractant protein 1 (CCL2/MCP-1) in MMF patients compared to healthy subjects. MMF patients showed no elevation of other cytokines. This contrasted with inflammatory patients in whom CCL2/MCP-1 serum levels were unchanged, whereas several other inflammatory cytokines were elevated (IL1β, IL5 and CCL3/MIP1α). These results suggest that CCL2 may represent a biological marker relevant to the pathophysiology of MMF rather than a non specific inflammatory marker and that it should be checked in the other syndromes constitutive of ASIA.

Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) 2013: Unveiling the pathogenic, clinical and diagnostic aspects

In 2011 a new syndrome termed 'ASIA Autoimmune/Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants' was defined pointing to summarize for the first time the spectrum of immune-mediated diseases triggered by an adjuvant stimulus such as chronic exposure to silicone, tetramethylpentadecane, pristane, aluminum and other adjuvants, as well as infectious components, that also may have an adjuvant effect. All these environmental factors have been found to induce autoimmunity by themselves both in animal models and in humans: for instance, silicone was associated with siliconosis, aluminum hydroxide with post-vaccination phenomena and macrophagic myofasciitis syndrome. Several mechanisms have been hypothesized to be involved in the onset of adjuvant-induced autoimmunity; a genetic favorable background plays a key role in the appearance on such vaccine-related diseases and also justifies the rarity of these phenomena. This paper will focus on protean facets which are part of ASIA, focusing on the roles and mechanisms of action of different adjuvants which lead to the autoimmune/inflammatory response. The data herein illustrate the critical role of environmental factors in the induction of autoimmunity. Indeed, it is the interplay of genetic susceptibility and environment that is the major player for the initiation of breach of tolerance.

Autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome (ASIA) induced by biomaterials injection other than silicone medical grade

BACKGROUND

Systemic autoimmune/granulomatous adverse reactions related to biomaterials other than silicone have rarely been reported.

AIM

The aim of this paper is to communicate the cases of autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) in a study of Spanish patients suffering from inflammatory disorders related to biomaterial injections other than silicone, principally hyaluronic acid, acrylamides or methacrylate compounds.

METHODS

The authors performed a retrospective analysis of the clinical, laboratory, histopathology and follow-up of a cohort of 250 cases of patients suffering from inflammatory/autoimmune disorders related to bioimplant injections.

RESULTS

Of these 250 cases, patients with adverse reactions related to silicone injections (n = 65) were excluded. Of the remaining 185, 15 cases (8%) had systemic or distant and multiple complaints that could be categorized as ASIA. In all but four patients, inflammatory features at the implantation site preceded distant or systemic manifestations. Abnormal blood tests were common. Eleven cases (73.3%) with inflammatory localized nodules and panniculitis evolved into a variety of disorders, namely, primary biliary cirrhosis, Sjögren's syndrome, sarcoidosis, human adjuvant disease and inflammatory polyradiculopathy. Four cases presented primarily with systemic autoimmune disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Infrequently, biomaterials other than silicone can provoke local inflammatory adverse reactions that may evolve into systemic autoimmune and/or granulomatous disorders. Whether or not these biomaterials act as an adjuvant, they could be included in the ASIA category.

The future of autoimmunity

There have been enormous strides in our understanding of autoimmunity. These strides have come under the umbrellas of epidemiology, immunological phenotype and function, disease definitions and classification and especially new therapeutic reagents. However, while these advances have been herculean, there remains enormous voids. Some of these voids include genetic susceptibility and the interaction of genes and environment. The voids include induction of tolerance in preclinical disease and definitions of host susceptibility and responses to the expensive biologic agents. The voids include the so-called clustering of human autoimmune diseases and the issues of whether the incidence is rising in our western society. Other voids include the relationships between microbiology, vaccination, gut flora, overzealous use of antibiotics, and the role of nanoparticles and environmental pollution in either the induction or the natural history of disease. One cannot even begin to address even a fraction of these issues. However, in this special issue, we are attempting to discuss clinical issues in autoimmunity that are not usually found in generic reviews. The goal is to bring to the readership provocative articles that ultimately will lead to improvement in patient care.

Human adjuvant disease induced by foreign substances: a new model of ASIA (Shoenfeld's syndrome)

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical, laboratory and histological manifestations of patients who received illegal injections of foreign substances for cosmetic purposes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We studied patients who met the following inclusion criteria: 1) history of application of foreign substances for cosmetic purposes, 2) clinical data of autoimmune disease or non-specific autoimmune manifestation (i.e. arthralgias, myalgia, malaise, fever, and weight loss), 3) detection of autoantibodies in patients' sera, 4) histological evidence of chronic inflammation and/or granulomatous reaction to foreign body.

RESULTS

Fifty female patients aged 44.4 ± 10 years were studied. The mean time between application of foreign substances and onset of symptoms was 4.5 ± 4.3 years. Patients were followed for 12 ± 7.5 years. Forty-one patients were injected with mineral oil, nine patients received other substances: three iodine gadital, one guayacol, one guayacol plus silicone fluid, two collagen, two silicone fluid. The sites of application were: buttocks (36), legs and/or thighs (11), breasts (eight) hands and face (one), face (two) (seven patients received an injection to more than one site). Thirty patients presented with non-specific autoimmune manifestations, whereas 20 patients fulfilled the criteria for a defined autoimmune disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, overlap syndrome, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune thyroiditis, autoimmune hepatitis, and ulcerative colitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Cases of human adjuvant disease following illegal injections of oil substances for cosmetic purposes are reported. Patients presented with defined autoimmune diseases as well as with non-specific autoimmune manifestations. Illegal injection of these substances could lead to serious local and systemic complications, even to death. These cases represent another model of Autoimmune/inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants (ASIA). The use of these substances should be prohibited.