Infliximab treatment was not effective in refractory inflammatory myopathies. In view of radiological and clinical worsening, and activation of the type I IFN system in several cases, infliximab is not an alternative treatment in patients with treatment-resistant myositis.

Antibodies to BiP are found in the sera of patients with RA and in sera antedating the onset of RA.

No abstract

In women with autoimmune disorders, a history of recurrent pregnancy loss is independently associated with reactivity against each of the three antigen specificities (Ro52, Ro60, p57) and also with the presence of antithyroglobulin antibodies, suggesting that cumulative autoimmune responses against these non-organ-specific and organ-specific antigens correlate with the risk of stillbirth and spontaneous abortion.

Autoimmune thyroid disease has been associated with several systemic autoimmune disorders. However, limited data are available regarding the prevalence and clinical associations of thyroid autoimmunity in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Seventy-five patients with APS, 75 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 75 healthy controls were tested for the presence of antithyroid antibodies (ATAs) (anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid peroxidase [anti-TPO]) using commercial ELISA. Clinical data were also recorded. Although no significant differences in the prevalence of ATAs were detected among APS, SLE patient groups and healthy controls, a significant increase of anti-TPO antibodies in patients with APS-SLE was found. An increased prevalence of ATAs in APS population with ischemic central nervous system (CNS) clinical manifestations was also detected. We present novel associations between thyroid autoimmunity and ischemic CNS clinical manifestations in the setting of APS.