Aortitis, inflammation of the aortic tissue, is most commonly caused by vasculitic rheumatic conditions, and less frequently infectious organisms. Involvement of the aorta is well defined in HLA-B27-associated spondyloarthropathies such as long-standing ankylosing spondylitis and Reiter’s syndrome. However, unlike other spondyloarthropathies, aortic involvement or true aortitis is not a feature of psoriatic arthritis and has been reported in only a few cases. Herein, we report the case of a 22 year-old woman with psoriatic arthritis who developed descending aortitis while using tumor necrosis factor inhibitors.
Due to the increasing use of laparoscopy for symptomatic cholelithiasis and other gallbladder disorders, as well as the ongoing issue of associated biliary tree injuries, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) still holds a significant position in the diagnosis and treatment of postcholecystectomy disorders. In our study, we aimed to examine the relationship between the time elapsed between cholecystectomy and ERCP with the post-ERCP complications.
Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an auto-inflammatory disease caused by mutations in the MEFV gene. Colchicine is the mainstay of FMF treatment. It is metabolised by cytochrome P450-3A4 (CYP3A4) enzyme. About 10-15% of FMF patients do not respond to treatment with colchicine. In this study, the researchers aimed to investigate association of colchicine non-responsiveness with MEFV mutations, CYP3A4*1B, *2, and *17 polymorphisms, and some demographic features of FMF patients. One hundred and ninety-six consecutive FMF patients (170 colchicine responders and 26 non-responders) were included in the study. CYP3A4 polymorphisms were detected using polymerase chain reaction and TaqMan probes.CYP3A4*1B and *17 were not detected in responders or non-responders. CYP3A4*2 was detected in eight responders, all of which were in heterozygous state. However, the difference was not statistically significant. Most patients (165 responders and 25 non-responders) had MEFV gene analysis available prior to participation in the study. Frequencies for M694V, M680I, V726A, and E148Q mutations and M694V/M694V genotype were similar in two groups. Mean body mass index of responders was not significantly different from that of non-responders. Attack frequency and proteinuria level were significantly higher in non-responders than in responders. Earlier age at disease onset was found to be associated with colchicine non-responsiveness. However, neither MEFV mutations nor CYP3A4 mutations were associated with colchicine non-responsiveness.
Abstract Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by inflammatory attacks due to overactivation of pyrin inflammasome. This study aimed to investigate the reliability of S100A8/A9, neopterin, and matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) at monitoring subclinical inflammation and disease activity, and at differentiating FMF attacks from appendicitis, the most common misdiagnosis among FMF patients. Blood samples (n = 75), comprising from FMF patients during an attack (n = 20), the same FMF patients during the attack-free period (n = 14), patients with appendicitis (n = 24), and healthy volunteers (n = 17) were obtained. Duplicate determinations of S100A8/A9, neopterin, and MMP-3 levels were conducted using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). FMF patients with and without attack and patients with appendicitis had significantly elevated S100A8/A9 levels compared to healthy volunteers (P-values: < 0.001, 0.036, 0.002, respectively). Patients with appendicitis and FMF patients with and without attack had significantly increased serum neopterin levels compared to healthy volunteers (P-value: < 0.001). MMP3 levels were significantly higher among patients with appendicitis and FMF patients during attack compared to healthy controls (P-values: < 0.001, 0.001). Serum levels of S100A8/A9, neopterin, and MMP3 were increased significantly during attacks compared to attack-free periods among FMF patients (P-values: 0.03, 0.047, 0.007). S100A8/A9 emerges as a valuable marker for monitoring disease activity. Neopterin and S100A8/A9 might help physicians to monitor subclinical inflammation during the attack-free periods of FMF patients. MMP3 might aid in diagnosing FMF attacks when distinguishing between attack and attack-free periods is challenging.
Journal Article Aortitis in a patient with psoriatic arthritis Get access Abdurrahman Tufan, Abdurrahman Tufan Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 8.Kat, Besevler, 06500 Ankara, Turkey Correspondence to: Abdurrahman Tufan, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 8.Kat, Besevler, 06500 Ankara, Turkey e-mail: dratufan@hotmail.com Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar M Engin Tezcan, M Engin Tezcan Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 8.Kat, Besevler, 06500 Ankara, Turkey Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Arif Kaya, Arif Kaya Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 8.Kat, Besevler, 06500 Ankara, Turkey Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Rıdvan Mercan, Rıdvan Mercan Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 8.Kat, Besevler, 06500 Ankara, Turkey Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Yusuf Oner, Yusuf Oner Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Ankara, Turkey Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Mehmet Akif Ozturk Mehmet Akif Ozturk Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, 8.Kat, Besevler, 06500 Ankara, Turkey Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Modern Rheumatology, Volume 22, Issue 5, 1 September 2012, Pages 774–777, https://doi.org/10.3109/s10165-011-0566-9 Published: 01 September 2012 Article history Received: 29 September 2011 Accepted: 15 November 2011 Published: 01 September 2012
