In this study, we investigated the relationship between vitamin D, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and estradiol (E2) in females of childbearing age with inactive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The study included 22 SLE patients, and 21 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), E2, and IFN-γ were measured by radioimmunoassay using the gamma-counter and ELISA. Patients and control subjects were divided into two groups based on their vitamin D levels (25(OH)D3 ≤ 20 ng/mL; 25(OH)D3 > 20 ng/mL). The median values of IFN-γ and E2 were higher in SLE patients compared to the controls, irrespective of vitamin D level (p = 0.001, p = 0.009, p = 0.003, and p = 0.003, respectively). In SLE patients, there was a negative correlation between IFN-γ and 25(OH)D3 (rs = -0.330; p = 0.03) and a positive correlation between IFN-γ and E2 (rs = 0.404; p = 0.007). This study demonstrates an interesting interplay between vitamin D, INF-γ, and E2 in SLE patients with inactive disease.
This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) in Split-Dalmatia County in Southern Croatia. Patients were recruited from the medical records of University Hospital Split. Our Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology is the only tertiary referral center for the Split-Dalmatia County, which has a population of 313,365 inhabitants aged over 18 years. Diagnoses were verified by medical record review. Cases of localized scleroderma (morphea and linear disease) were excluded. All patients were re-evaluated by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for the classification of systemic sclerosis. Prevalence of SSc in Split-Dalmatia County was estimated at 15.6 cases among 100,000 adults (95%CI 11.8-19.4). The prevalence of SSc in Split-Dalmatia County in Southern Croatia according only to the ACR criteria is higher than in other European countries. These data should facilitate research regarding the role of geographic and environmental factors for this disease in comparison populations.
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is suspected to be one of the factors triggering systemic sclerosis (SSc). Data on the possible role of H. pylori are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of H. pylori infection in SSc patients. Forty-two SSc patients without dyspeptic symptoms were recruited--26 were H. pylori-positive and 16 were H. pylori-negative on the basis of invasive test. We evaluated the disease severity using clinical and laboratory parameters according to the Medsger Severity Scale. The level of SSc activity was evaluated according to Valentini activity score. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in population of SSc patients is 62%. Severity of skin, gastrointestinal, and joint/tendon involvement was different between H. pylori-positive and -negative SSc patients (p < 0.001 for skin involvement, p = 0.002 and p = 0.03 for gastrointestinal and joint/tendon involvement, respectively) as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.002). Severity score according to Medsger was higher in the H. pylori-positive than in the H. pylori-negative SSc patients (p < 0.001). Our data suggest that H. pylori infection correlates with severity of skin, gastrointestinal, and joint/tendon involvement in SSc patients. H. pylori-positive SSc patients showed higher severity score compared to H. pylori-negative. Therefore, H. pylori infection may play a role in the pathogenesis of SSc and also can provide some prognostic information.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.