INTRODUCTION The association of human immunodeficiency virus and immune dysfunction leading to development of autoimmune markers is well described, but human immunodeficiency virus infection is relatively protective for the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. In contrast, development of systemic lupus erythematosus with hepatitis C and with interferon therapy is well described in a num...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To determine factors associated with ischemic stroke and stroke severity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. METHODS Between 1992 and January 2005, 238 consecutive systemic lupus erythematosus patients with no history of stroke were followed-up longitudinally at the Maryland Lupus Clinic. Patients were monitored quarterly for a mean of 8 years after their sys...

Considering the presence of immunomodulatory properties human endogenous retroviruses, namely (i) ability to activate innate immune response by HERVs nucleic acids; (ii) antigenicity transcriptionally competent retroviruses envelope protein molecule, which causes polyclonal activation lymphocytes; (iii) absence expression and production in thymus during tolerance formation, allows us consider t...

Two sibs with chondrodysplasia punctata in whom the mother was suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus are presented and the radiological features described. Comparison with other forms of chondrodysplasia punctata with a review of the relevant publications is presented and the possible association with maternal systemic lupus erythematosus is highlighted.

A 38-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus had developed a cutaneous lesion of linear scleroderma on the forehead 4 years after the diagnosis of lupus erythematosus. This case of coexistence of the two diseases can be regarded as a clinical variant of the connective tissue disease-overlap syndrome.

Systemic lupus erythematosus has myriad presentations. Symptomatic myocarditis and/or symptomatic autoimmune hepatitis associated with lupus are rare at presentation. Here we report a young Asian girl, who presented to us with features of symptomatic myocarditis and overlapping autoimmune hepatitis. She was eventually diagnosed to be harboring systemic lupus erythematosus, in whom rigorous mana...

Involvement of the gastrointestinal tract in systemic lupus erythematosus is well documented but small intestinal malabsorption is a rare event. We report a 27 year old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus who had malabsorption and coeliac-like changes on intestinal biopsy. This is the eighth reported case of this association the significance of which is discussed.

Forty-five patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus were studied in respect of their serologically defined HLA antigens. HLA-B8 antigen was found in 37-8% of patients as compared to 22% of controls. Individuals carrying the HLA-B8 antigen have a 2-15 times greater risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus than those not carrying this antigen.

The autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction is impaired in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. This is because nonthymus-derived (T)-lymphocyte preparations from such patients do not stimulate autologous T-lymphocyte proliferation normally. This defect may explain the impaired generation of suppressor activity in systemic lupus erythematosus and thereby the occurrence of autoantibodies in ...

We present the first reported case of juvenile Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Klinefelter's syndrome in a 14-year-old Iranian boy who had leg ulcers and arthritis. He had low level of testosterone accompanied with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. This case emphasizes the importance of two X chromosomes as a risk factor for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in women and men with Klinefelter's syndr...