| 1. |
- Elkhalifa, Marwa, et al.
(author)
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Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA in the SLICC classification criteria dataset
- 2021
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In: Lupus. - : SAGE Publications. - 0961-2033 .- 1477-0962. ; 30:8, s. 1283-1288
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA is a common isotype of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I in SLE. Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I was not included in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) SLE classification criteria, but was included in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anti-beta 2-glycoprotein I IgA in SLE versus other rheumatic diseases. In addition, we examined the association between anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA and disease manifestations in SLE. Methods: The dataset consisted of 1384 patients, 657 with a consensus physician diagnosis of SLE and 727 controls with other rheumatic diseases. Anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I isotypes were measured by ELISA. Patients with a consensus diagnosis of SLE were compared to controls with respect to presence of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I. Among patients with SLE, we assessed the association between anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA and clinical manifestations. Results: The prevalence of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA was 14% in SLE patients and 7% in rheumatic disease controls (odds ratio, OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.6, 3.3). It was more common in SLE patients who were younger patients and of African descent (p = 0.019). Eleven percent of SLE patients had anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA alone (no anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgG or IgM). There was a significant association between anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA and anti-dsDNA (p = 0.001) and the other antiphospholipid antibodies (p = 0.0004). There was no significant correlation of anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA with any of the other ACR or SLICC clinical criteria for SLE. Those with anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA tended to have a history of thrombosis (12% vs 6%, p = 0.071), but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: We found the anti-beta 2 glycoprotein I IgA isotype to be more common in patients with SLE and in particular, with African descent. It could occur alone without other isotypes.
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| 2. |
- Petri, Michelle, et al.
(author)
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Comparison of the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Classification Criteria With Two Sets of Earlier Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Classification Criteria
- 2021
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In: Arthritis Care and Research. - : Wiley. - 2151-464X .- 2151-4658. ; 73:9, s. 1231-1235
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) 2012 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) classification criteria and the revised American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1997 criteria are list based, counting each SLE manifestation equally. We derived a classification rule based on giving variable weights to the SLICC criteria and compared its performance to the revised ACR 1997, the unweighted SLICC 2012, and the newly reported European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/ACR 2019 criteria sets. Methods: The physician-rated patient scenarios used to develop the SLICC 2012 classification criteria were reemployed to devise a new weighted classification rule using multiple linear regression. The performance of the rule was evaluated on an independent set of expert-diagnosed patient scenarios and compared to the performance of the previously reported classification rules. Results: The weighted SLICC criteria and the EULAR/ACR 2019 criteria had less sensitivity but better specificity compared to the list-based revised ACR 1997 and SLICC 2012 classification criteria. There were no statistically significant differences between any pair of rules with respect to overall agreement with the physician diagnosis. Conclusion: The 2 new weighted classification rules did not perform better than the existing list-based rules in terms of overall agreement on a data set originally generated to assess the SLICC criteria. Given the added complexity of summing weights, researchers may prefer the unweighted SLICC criteria. However, the performance of a classification rule will always depend on the populations from which the cases and non-cases are derived and whether the goal is to prioritize sensitivity or specificity.
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| 3. |
- de Vries Schultink, Aurelia H M, et al.
(author)
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Population Pharmacokinetics of MCLA-128, a HER2/HER3 Bispecific Monoclonal Antibody, in Patients with Solid Tumors.
- 2020
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In: Clinical Pharmacokinetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0312-5963 .- 1179-1926. ; 59:7, s. 875-884
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: MCLA-128 is a bispecific monoclonal antibody targeting the HER2 and HER3 receptors and is in development to overcome HER3-mediated resistance to anti-HER2 therapies. The aims of this analysis were to characterize the population pharmacokinetics of MCLA-128 in patients with various solid tumors, to evaluate patient-related factors that affect the disposition of MCLA-128, and to assess whether flat dosing is appropriate.METHODS: MCLA-128 concentration data following intravenous administration were collected in a phase I/II clinical trial. Pharmacokinetic data were analyzed using non-linear mixed-effects modeling. Different compartmental models were evaluated. Various body size parameters including body weight, body surface area, and fat-free mass were evaluated as covariates in addition to age, sex, HER2 status, and tumor burden.RESULTS: In total, 1115 serum concentration measurements were available from 116 patients. The pharmacokinetics of MCLA-128 was best described by a two-compartment model with linear and non-linear (Michaelis-Menten) clearance. Fat-free mass significantly affected the linear clearance and volume of distribution of the central compartment of MCLA-128, explaining 8.4% and 5.6% of inter-individual variability, respectively. Tumor burden significantly affected the non-linear clearance capacity. Simulations demonstrated that dosing based on body size parameters resulted in similar area under the plasma concentration-time curve for a dosing interval (AUC0-τ), maximum and trough concentrations of MCLA-128, compared to flat dosing.CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrated that the pharmacokinetics of MCLA-128 exhibits similar disposition characteristics to other therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and that a flat dose of MCLA-128 in patients with various solid tumors is appropriate.
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| 4. |
- Ortiz-Fernandez, Lourdes, et al.
(author)
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Identification of susceptibility loci for Takayasu arteritis through a large multi-ancestral genome-wide association study
- 2021
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In: American Journal of Human Genetics. - CAMBRIDGE, MA USA : Cell Press. - 0002-9297 .- 1537-6605. ; 108:1, s. 84-99
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Takayasu arteritis is a rare inflammatory disease of large arteries. We performed a genetic study in Takayasu arteritis comprising 6,670 individuals (1,226 affected individuals) from five different populations. We discovered HLA risk factors and four non-HLA susceptibility loci in VPS8, SVEP1, CFL2, and chr13q21 and reinforced IL12B, PTK2B, and chr21q22 as robust susceptibility loci shared across ancestries. Functional analysis proposed plausible underlying disease mechanisms and pinpointed ETS2 as a potential causal gene for chr21q22 association. We also identified >60 candidate loci with suggestive association (p < 5 x 10(-s)) and devised a genetic risk score for Takayasu arteritis. Takayasu arteritis was compared to hundreds of other traits, revealing the closest genetic relatedness to inflammatory bowel disease. Epigenetic patterns within risk loci suggest roles for monocytes and B cells in Takayasu arteritis. This work enhances understanding of the genetic basis and pathophysiology of Takayasu arteritis and provides clues for potential new therapeutic targets.
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| 5. |
- Choi, May Yee, et al.
(author)
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Longitudinal analysis of ANA in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Inception Cohort
- 2022
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In: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ. - 0003-4967 .- 1468-2060. ; 81:8, s. 1143-1150
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives A perception derived from cross-sectional studies of small systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cohorts is that there is a marked discrepancy between antinuclear antibody (ANA) assays, which impacts on clinicians' approach to diagnosis and follow-up. We compared three ANA assays in a longitudinal analysis of a large international incident SLE cohort retested regularly and followed for 5 years. Methods Demographic, clinical and serological data was from 805 SLE patients at enrolment, year 3 and 5. Two HEp-2 indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA1, IFA2), an ANA ELISA, and SLE-related autoantibodies were performed in one laboratory. Frequencies of positivity, titres or absorbance units (AU), and IFA patterns were compared using McNemar, Wilcoxon and kappa statistics, respectively. Results At enrolment, ANA positivity (≥1:80) was 96.1% by IFA1 (median titre 1:1280 (IQR 1:640-1:5120)), 98.3% by IFA2 (1:2560 (IQR 1:640-1:5120)) and 96.6% by ELISA (176.3 AU (IQR 106.4 AU-203.5 AU)). At least one ANA assay was positive for 99.6% of patients at enrolment. At year 5, ANA positivity by IFAs (IFA1 95.2%; IFA2 98.9%) remained high, while there was a decrease in ELISA positivity (91.3%, p<0.001). Overall, there was >91% agreement in ANA positivity at all time points and ≥71% agreement in IFA patterns between IFA1 and IFA2. Conclusion In recent-onset SLE, three ANA assays demonstrated commutability with a high proportion of positivity and titres or AU. However, over 5 years follow-up, there was modest variation in ANA assay performance. In clinical situations where the SLE diagnosis is being considered, a negative test by either the ELISA or HEp-2 IFA may require reflex testing.
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| 6. |
- Choi, May Yee, et al.
(author)
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Machine learning identifies clusters of longitudinal autoantibody profiles predictive of systemic lupus erythematosus disease outcomes
- 2023
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In: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - 0003-4967. ; 82:7, s. 927-936
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives A novel longitudinal clustering technique was applied to comprehensive autoantibody data from a large, well-characterised, multinational inception systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cohort to determine profiles predictive of clinical outcomes. Methods Demographic, clinical and serological data from 805 patients with SLE obtained within 15 months of diagnosis and at 3-year and 5-year follow-up were included. For each visit, sera were assessed for 29 antinuclear antibodies (ANA) immunofluorescence patterns and 20 autoantibodies. K-means clustering on principal component analysis-transformed longitudinal autoantibody profiles identified discrete phenotypic clusters. One-way analysis of variance compared cluster enrolment demographics and clinical outcomes at 10-year follow-up. Cox proportional hazards model estimated the HR for survival adjusting for age of disease onset. Results Cluster 1 (n=137, high frequency of anti-Smith, anti-U1RNP, AC-5 (large nuclear speckled pattern) and high ANA titres) had the highest cumulative disease activity and immunosuppressants/biologics use at year 10. Cluster 2 (n=376, low anti-double stranded DNA (dsDNA) and ANA titres) had the lowest disease activity, frequency of lupus nephritis and immunosuppressants/biologics use. Cluster 3 (n=80, highest frequency of all five antiphospholipid antibodies) had the highest frequency of seizures and hypocomplementaemia. Cluster 4 (n=212) also had high disease activity and was characterised by multiple autoantibody reactivity including to antihistone, anti-dsDNA, antiribosomal P, anti-Sjögren syndrome antigen A or Ro60, anti-Sjögren syndrome antigen B or La, anti-Ro52/Tripartite Motif Protein 21, antiproliferating cell nuclear antigen and anticentromere B). Clusters 1 (adjusted HR 2.60 (95% CI 1.12 to 6.05), p=0.03) and 3 (adjusted HR 2.87 (95% CI 1.22 to 6.74), p=0.02) had lower survival compared with cluster 2. Conclusion Four discrete SLE patient longitudinal autoantibody clusters were predictive of long-term disease activity, organ involvement, treatment requirements and mortality risk.
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| 7. |
- Chye, Yann, et al.
(author)
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Subcortical surface morphometry in substance dependence : An ENIGMA addiction working group study
- 2020
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In: Addiction Biology. - : WILEY. - 1355-6215 .- 1369-1600. ; 25:6
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While imaging studies have demonstrated volumetric differences in subcortical structures associated with dependence on various abused substances, findings to date have not been wholly consistent. Moreover, most studies have not compared brain morphology across those dependent on different substances of abuse to identify substance-specific and substance-general dependence effects. By pooling large multinational datasets from 33 imaging sites, this study examined subcortical surface morphology in 1628 nondependent controls and 2277 individuals with dependence on alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, and/or cannabis. Subcortical structures were defined by FreeSurfer segmentation and converted to a mesh surface to extract two vertex-level metrics-the radial distance (RD) of the structure surface from a medial curve and the log of the Jacobian determinant (JD)-that, respectively, describe local thickness and surface area dilation/contraction. Mega-analyses were performed on measures of RD and JD to test for the main effect of substance dependence, controlling for age, sex, intracranial volume, and imaging site. Widespread differences between dependent users and nondependent controls were found across subcortical structures, driven primarily by users dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence was associated with localized lower RD and JD across most structures, with the strongest effects in the hippocampus, thalamus, putamen, and amygdala. Meanwhile, nicotine use was associated with greater RD and JD relative to nonsmokers in multiple regions, with the strongest effects in the bilateral hippocampus and right nucleus accumbens. By demonstrating subcortical morphological differences unique to alcohol and nicotine use, rather than dependence across all substances, results suggest substance-specific relationships with subcortical brain structures.
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| 8. |
- Eisenbeck, Nikolett, et al.
(author)
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An international study on psychological coping during COVID-19 : Towards a meaning-centered coping style
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology. - : Elsevier. - 1697-2600 .- 2174-0852. ; 22:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background/Objective: This study examined the role of different psychological coping mechanisms in mental and physical health during the initial phases of the COVID-19 crisis with an emphasis on meaning-centered coping.Method: A total of 11,227 people from 30 countries across all continents participated in the study and completed measures of psychological distress (depression, stress, and anxiety), loneliness, well-being, and physical health, together with measures of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping, and a measure called the Meaning-centered Coping Scale (MCCS) that was developed in the present study. Validation analyses of the MCCS were performed in all countries, and data were assessed by multilevel modeling (MLM).Results: The MCCS showed a robust one-factor structure in 30 countries with good test-retest, concurrent and divergent validity results. MLM analyses showed mixed results regarding emotion and problem-focused coping strategies. However, the MCCS was the strongest positive predictor of physical and mental health among all coping strategies, independently of demographic characteristics and country-level variables.Conclusions: The findings suggest that the MCCS is a valid measure to assess meaning-centered coping. The results also call for policies promoting effective coping to mitigate collective suffering during the pandemic.
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| 9. |
- Elrashdy, Fatma, et al.
(author)
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Autoimmunity roots of the thrombotic events after COVID-19 vaccination
- 2021
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In: Autoimmunity Reviews. - : Elsevier. - 1568-9972 .- 1873-0183. ; 20:11
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although vaccination represents the most promising way to stop or contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and safety and effectiveness of available vaccines were proven, a small number of individuals who received anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines developed a prothrombotic syndrome. Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) can be triggered by the adenoviral vector-based vaccine, whereas lipid nanoparticle-mRNA-based vaccines can induce rare cases of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Although the main pathogenic mechanisms behind this rare phenomenon have not yet been identified, both host and vaccine factors might be involved, with pathology at least in part being related to the vaccine-triggered autoimmune reaction. In this review, we are considering some aspects related to pathogenesis, major risk factors, as well as peculiarities of diagnosis and treatment of this rare condition.
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| 10. |
- Hassan, Sk Sarif, et al.
(author)
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A unique view of SARS-CoV-2 through the lens of ORF8 protein
- 2021
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In: Computers in Biology and Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0010-4825 .- 1879-0534. ; 133
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Immune evasion is one of the unique characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) attributed to its ORF8 protein. This protein modulates the adaptive host immunity through down regulation of MHC-1 (Major Histocompatibility Complex) molecules and innate immune responses by surpassing the host's interferon-mediated antiviral response. To understand the host's immune perspective in reference to the ORF8 protein, a comprehensive study of the ORF8 protein and mutations possessed by it have been performed. Chemical and structural properties of ORF8 proteins from different hosts, such as human, bat, and pangolin, suggest that the ORF8 of SARS-CoV-2 is much closer to ORF8 of Bat RaTG13-CoV than to that of Pangolin-CoV. Eighty-seven mutations across unique variants of ORF8 in SARS-CoV-2 can be grouped into four classes based on their predicted effects (Hussain et al., 2021) [1]. Based on the geo-locations and timescale of sample collection, a possible flow of mutations was built. Furthermore, conclusive flows of amalgamation of mutations were found upon sequence similarity analyses and consideration of the amino acid conservation phylogenies. Therefore, this study seeks to highlight the uniqueness of the rapidly evolving SARS-CoV-2 through the ORF8.
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