Autoimmunity reviews
-
The last two decades have witnessed a revolution in the treatment of autoimmune diseases due to the introduction of biological agents which, although now included as standard treatment in patients with autoimmune rheumatological, dermatological and gastrointestinal diseases. The use of biological agents is associated with greater costs compared with the mainly anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant drugs used in the pre-biological era. ⋯ Three scenarios have converged to provide a specific opportunity for biosimilars in autoimmune diseases: growing demand for biologics due to successful clinical use; the nearing of patent expiry for the four top-selling biological brands; and the search to reduce health costs due to the financial crisis. We aimed to review the crucial topics of efficacy, safety and regulatory approach of upcoming biosimilars.
-
Autoimmunity reviews · May 2013
ReviewManagement of immune cytopenias in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus - Old and new.
There are various immune cytopenias associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The most common one is anemia; however, there are different etiologies for the anemia caused by SLE. Anemia could be due to chronic disease, secondary to renal insufficiency, blood loss, drug induced or autoimmune hemolysis. ⋯ Thrombocytopenia is one of the complications of SLE and is usually treated by steroids. However, there are significant numbers of patients which will either not respond to or relapse after treatment. This article summarizes immune cytopenias seen in patients with SLE, and it also discusses management of these cytopenias.
-
Autoimmunity reviews · Apr 2013
ReviewComplex regional pain syndrome, prototype of a novel kind of autoimmune disease.
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful condition, which arises in a limb after trauma. CRPS can profoundly affect patients' quality of life, and there is no cure. CRPS is associated with limb-confined sensory, motor, skin, bone and autonomic abnormalities. ⋯ We propose that CRPS constitutes a prototype of a new kind of autoimmunity, which we term 'IRAM' (injury-triggered, regionally-restricted autoantibody-mediated autoimmune disorder with minimally-destructive course). Understanding autoimmune contribution to CRPS should allow the exploration of novel treatment modalities in the future. Additional 'functional' disorders, painful or painless may be autoimmune in nature.
-
Autoimmunity reviews · Dec 2012
Review Meta AnalysisDiagnostic accuracy of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to detect anti-skin autoantibodies in autoimmune blistering skin diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Systematic reviews and meta-analysis are essential tools to accurately and reliably summarize evidence, and can be used as a starting point for developing practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. ⋯ Results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that ELISA tests for anti-BP180 and anti-Dsg3 autoantibodies have high sensitivity and specificity for BP and PV, respectively, and can be used in daily laboratory practice for the initial diagnosis of autoimmune blistering skin diseases.
-
Autoimmunity reviews · Dec 2012
ReviewExercise as a therapeutic tool to counteract inflammation and clinical symptoms in autoimmune rheumatic diseases.
Chronic inflammation is a common feature shared by several autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, systemic sclerosis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Therefore, blocking or reducing inflammation is one of the major treatment strategies in these diseases. In this context, exercise training has emerged as a potential therapeutic tool in counteracting systemic inflammation, thereby leading to better clinical outcomes. The aims of this review are i) to provide a summary of the clinical effects of exercise training in selected autoimmune rheumatic diseases; and ii) to discuss the potential anti-inflammatory role of exercise training in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, stressing the gaps in literature and the clinical and scientific perspectives in the field.