| 1. |
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| 2. |
- Lobell, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Association of Autoimmune Addison's Disease with Alleles of STAT4 and GATA3 in European Cohorts
- 2014
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Ingår i: Plos One. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Gene variants known to contribute to Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) susceptibility include those at the MHC, MICA, CIITA, CTLA4, PTPN22, CYP27B1, NLRP-1 and CD274 loci. The majority of the genetic component to disease susceptibility has yet to be accounted for. Aim: To investigate the role of 19 candidate genes in AAD susceptibility in six European case-control cohorts. Methods: A sequential association study design was employed with genotyping using Sequenom iPlex technology. In phase one, 85 SNPs in 19 genes were genotyped in UK and Norwegian AAD cohorts (691 AAD, 715 controls). In phase two, 21 SNPs in 11 genes were genotyped in German, Swedish, Italian and Polish cohorts (1264 AAD, 1221 controls). In phase three, to explore association of GATA3 polymorphisms with AAD and to determine if this association extended to other autoimmune conditions, 15 SNPs in GATA3 were studied in UK and Norwegian AAD cohorts, 1195 type 1 diabetes patients from Norway, 650 rheumatoid arthritis patients from New Zealand and in 283 UK Graves' disease patients. Meta-analysis was used to compare genotype frequencies between the participating centres, allowing for heterogeneity. Results: We report significant association with alleles of two STAT4 markers in AAD cohorts (rs4274624: P = 0.00016; rs10931481: P = 0.0007). In addition, nominal association of AAD with alleles at GATA3 was found in 3 patient cohorts and supported by meta-analysis. Association of AAD with CYP27B1 alleles was also confirmed, which replicates previous published data. Finally, nominal association was found at SNPs in both the NF-kappa B1 and IL23A genes in the UK and Italian cohorts respectively. Conclusions: Variants in the STAT4 gene, previously associated with other autoimmune conditions, confer susceptibility to AAD. Additionally, we report association of GATA3 variants with AAD: this adds to the recent report of association of GATA3 variants with rheumatoid arthritis.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Brozzetti, A, et al.
(författare)
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Autoantibody response against NALP5/MATER in primary ovarian insufficiency and in autoimmune Addison's disease
- 2015
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Ingår i: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. - : The Endocrine Society. - 1945-7197 .- 0021-972X. ; 100:5, s. 1941-1948
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context:NACHT leucine-rich-repeat protein 5 (NALP5)/maternal antigen that embryo requires (MATER) is an autoantigen in hypoparathyroidism associated with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1) but is also expressed in the ovary. Mater is an autoantigen in experimental autoimmune oophoritis.Objectives:The objectives of the study were to determine the frequency of NALP5/MATER autoantibodies (NALP5/MATER-Ab) in women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and in patients with autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) and to evaluate whether inhibin chains are a target for autoantibodies in POI.Methods:Autoantibodies against NALP5/MATER and inhibin chains-α and -βA were determined by radiobinding assays in 172 patients with AAD without clinical signs of gonadal insufficiency, 41 women with both AAD and autoimmune POI [steroidogenic cell autoimmune POI (SCA-POI)], 119 women with idiopathic POI, 19 patients with APS1, and 211 healthy control subjects.Results:NALP5/MATER-Ab were detected in 11 of 19 (58%) sera from APS1 patients, 12 of 172 (7%) AAD sera, 5 of 41 (12%) SCA-POI sera, 0 of 119 idiopathic POI sera and 1 of 211 healthy control sera (P < .001). None of 160 POI sera, including 41 sera from women with SCA-POI and 119 women with idiopathic POI, and none of 211 healthy control sera were positive for inhibin chain-α/βA autoantibodies.Conclusions:NALP5/MATER-Ab are associated with hypoparathyroidism in APS1 but are present also in patients with AAD and in women with SCA-POI without hypoparathyroidism. Inhibin chains do not appear to be likely candidate targets of autoantibodies in human POI.
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| 5. |
- Husebye, E. S., et al.
(författare)
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Consensus statement on the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with primary adrenal insufficiency
- 2014
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Ingår i: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 275:2, s. 104-115
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), or Addison's disease, is a rare, potentially deadly, but treatable disease. Most cases of PAI are caused by autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex. Consequently, patients with PAI are at higher risk of developing other autoimmune diseases. The diagnosis of PAI is often delayed by many months, and most patients present with symptoms of acute adrenal insufficiency. Because PAI is rare, even medical specialists in this therapeutic area rarely manage more than a few patients. Currently, the procedures for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of this rare disease vary greatly within Europe. The common autoimmune form of PAI is characterized by the presence of 21-hydroxylase autoantibodies; other causes should be sought if no autoantibodies are detected. Acute adrenal crisis is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment. Standard replacement therapy consists of multiple daily doses of hydrocortisone or cortisone acetate combined with fludrocortisone. Annual follow-up by an endocrinologist is recommended with the focus on optimization of replacement therapy and detection of new autoimmune diseases. Patient education to enable self-adjustment of dosages of replacement therapy and crisis prevention is particularly important in this disease. The authors of this document have collaborated within an EU project (Euadrenal) to study the pathogenesis, describe the natural course and improve the treatment for Addison's disease. Based on a synthesis of this research, the available literature, and the views and experiences of the consortium's investigators and key experts, we now attempt to provide a European Expert Consensus Statement for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.
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| 6. |
- Sævik, Åse Bjorvatn, et al.
(författare)
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Clues for early detection of autoimmune Addison's disease : myths and realities
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 283:2, s. 190-199
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Early detection of autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) is important as delay in diagnosis may result in a life-threatening adrenal crisis and death. The classical clinical picture of untreated AAD is well-described, but methodical investigations are scarce.Objective: Perform a retrospective audit of patient records with the aim of identifying biochemical markers for early diagnosis of AAD.Material and methods: A multicentre retrospective study including 272 patients diagnosed with AAD at hospitals in Norway and Sweden during 1978-2016. Scrutiny of medical records provided patient data and laboratory values.Results: Low sodium occurred in 207 of 247 (84%), but only one-third had elevated potassium. Other common nonendocrine tests were largely normal. TSH was elevated in 79 of 153 patients, and hypoglycaemia was found in 10%. Thirty-three per cent were diagnosed subsequent to adrenal crisis, in whom electrolyte disturbances were significantly more pronounced (P < 0.001). Serum cortisol was consistently decreased (median 62 nmol L-1 [1-668]) and significantly lower in individuals with adrenal crisis (38 nmol L-1 [2-442]) than in those without (81 nmol L-1 [1-668], P < 0.001).Conclusion: The most consistent biochemical finding of untreated AAD was low sodium independent of the degree of glucocorticoid deficiency. Half of the patients had elevated TSH levels. Only a minority presented with marked hyperkalaemia or other nonhormonal abnormalities. Thus, unexplained low sodium and/or elevated TSH should prompt consideration of an undiagnosed AAD, and on clinical suspicion bring about assay of cortisol and ACTH. Presence of 21-hydroxylase autoantibodies confirms autoimmune aetiology. Anticipating additional abnormalities in routine blood tests may delay diagnosis.
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| 7. |
- Smith, C. J. A., et al.
(författare)
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TSGA10-A Target for Autoantibodies in Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome Type 1 and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
- 2011
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 73:2, s. 147-153
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1) is a rare monogenic autoimmune disorder caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. High-titre autoantibodies are a characteristic feature of APS1 and are often associated with particular disease manifestations. Pituitary deficits are reported in approximately 7% of APS1 patients, with immunoreactivity to pituitary tissue frequently described. Using APS1 patient serum to immunoscreen a pituitary cDNA expression library, testis specific, 10 (TSGA10) was isolated. Immunoreactivity against TSGA10 was detected in 5/99 (5.05%) patients with APS1, but also in 5/135 (3.70%) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 1/188 (0.53%) healthy controls. TSGA10 autoantibodies were not detected in the serum from patients with any other autoimmune disease. Autoantibodies against TSGA10 were detectable from a young age in 4/5 positive APS1 patients with autoantibody titres remaining relatively constant over time. Furthermore, real-time PCR confirmed TSGA10 mRNA to be most abundantly expressed in the testis and also showed moderate and low expression levels throughout the entire body. TSGA10 should be considered as an autoantigen in a subset of APS1 patients and also in a minority of SLE patients. No recognizable clinical phenotype could be found to correlate with positive autoantibody reactivity.
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| 8. |
- Albrecht, Inka, et al.
(författare)
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Development of autoantibodies against muscle-specific FHL1 in severe inflammatory myopathies
- 2015
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Investigation. - : AMER SOC CLINICAL INVESTIGATION INC. - 0021-9738 .- 1558-8238. ; 125:12, s. 4612-4624
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mutations of the gene encoding four-and-a-half LIM domain 1 (FHL1) are the causative factor of several X-linked hereditary myopathies that are collectively termed FHL1-related myopathies. These disorders are characterized by severe muscle dysfunction and damage. Here, we have shown that patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) develop autoimmunity to FHL1, which is a muscle-specific protein. Anti-FHL1 autoantibodies were detected in 25% of IIM patients, while patients with other autoimmune diseases or muscular dystrophies were largely anti-FHL1 negative. Anti-FHL1 reactivity was predictive for muscle atrophy, dysphagia, pronounced muscle fiber damage, and vasculitis. FHL1 showed an altered expression pattern, with focal accumulation in the muscle fibers of autoantibody-positive patients compared with a homogeneous expression in anti-FHL1-negative patients and healthy controls. We determined that FHL1 is a target of the cytotoxic protease granzyme B, indicating that the generation of FHL1 fragments may initiate FHL1 autoimmunity. Moreover, immunization of myositis-prone mice with FHL1 aggravated muscle weakness and increased mortality, suggesting a direct link between anti-FHL1 responses and muscle damage. Together, our findings provide evidence that FHL1 may be involved in the pathogenesis not only of genetic FHL1-related myopathies but also of autoimmune IIM. Importantly, these results indicate that anti-FHL1 autoantibodies in peripheral blood have promising potential as a biomarker to identify a subset of severe IIM.
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| 9. |
- Alimohammadi, Mohammad, et al.
(författare)
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Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome Type 1 : NALP5 in Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome Type 1
- 2006
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Ingår i: The New England Journal of Medicine. ; 358:10, s. 1018-28
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is a multiorgan autoimmune disorder caused by mutations in AIRE, the autoimmune regulator gene. Though recent studies concerning AIRE deficiency have begun to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmunity in patients with APS-1, the autoantigen responsible for hypoparathyroidism, a hallmark of APS-1 and its most common autoimmune endocrinopathy, has not yet been identified. Methods We performed immunoscreening of a human parathyroid complementary DNA library, using serum samples from patients with APS-1 and hypoparathyroidism, to identify patients with reactivity to the NACHT leucine-rich-repeat protein 5 (NALP5). Subsequently, serum samples from 87 patients with APS-1 and 293 controls, including patients with other autoimmune disorders, were used to determine the frequency and specificity of autoantibodies against NALP5. In addition, the expression of NALP5 was investigated in various tissues. Results NALP5-specific autoantibodies were detected in 49% of the patients with APS-1 and hypoparathyroidism but were absent in all patients with APS-1 but without hypoparathyroidism, in all patients with other autoimmune endocrine disorders, and in all healthy controls. NALP5 was predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm of parathyroid chief cells. Conclusions NALP5 appears to be a tissue-specific autoantigen involved in hypoparathyroidism in patients with APS-1. Autoantibodies against NALP5 appear to be highly specific and may be diagnostic for this prominent component of APS-1.
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| 10. |
- Alimohammadi, Mohammad, et al.
(författare)
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Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 and NALP5, a parathyroid autoantigen
- 2008
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Ingår i: New England Journal of Medicine. - 0028-4793 .- 1533-4406. ; 358:10, s. 1018-1028
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) is a multiorgan autoimmune disorder caused by mutations in AIRE, the autoimmune regulator gene. Though recent studies concerning AIRE deficiency have begun to elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmunity in patients with APS-1, the autoantigen responsible for hypoparathyroidism, a hallmark of APS-1 and its most common autoimmune endocrinopathy, has not yet been identified. METHODS: We performed immunoscreening of a human parathyroid complementary DNA library, using serum samples from patients with APS-1 and hypoparathyroidism, to identify patients with reactivity to the NACHT leucine-rich-repeat protein 5 (NALP5). Subsequently, serum samples from 87 patients with APS-1 and 293 controls, including patients with other autoimmune disorders, were used to determine the frequency and specificity of autoantibodies against NALP5. In addition, the expression of NALP5 was investigated in various tissues. RESULTS: NALP5-specific autoantibodies were detected in 49% of the patients with APS-1 and hypoparathyroidism but were absent in all patients with APS-1 but without hypoparathyroidism, in all patients with other autoimmune endocrine disorders, and in all healthy controls. NALP5 was predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm of parathyroid chief cells. CONCLUSIONS: NALP5 appears to be a tissue-specific autoantigen involved in hypoparathyroidism in patients with APS-1. Autoantibodies against NALP5 appear to be highly specific and may be diagnostic for this prominent component of APS-1.
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| 11. |
- Bensing, Sophie, et al.
(författare)
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Lymphocytic hypophysitis : report of two biopsy-proven cases and one suspected case with pituitary autoantibodies
- 2007
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Ingår i: Journal of Endocrinological Investigation. - 0391-4097 .- 1720-8386. ; 30:2, s. 153-162
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lymphocytic hypophysitis (LyH) is a rare inflammatory disease, considered to be autoimmune. LyH has mainly been reported in females and in relation to pregnancy or the post-partum period. We describe a 73-yr-old woman and a 63-yr-old male who were evaluated at our clinic because of pituitary hormone deficits. Both patients had pituitary masses suggestive of a pituitary adenoma on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery was performed and histopathological examinations revealed LyH in both cases. Clinical, laboratory, radiological and the histopathological findings in these two patients are discussed in detail. In addition, we report on a 79-yr-old man with partial hypopituitarism and empty sella. Screening of a human pituitary cDNA library with his serum revealed autoantibodies against secretogranin II. This is a protein commonly present in human gonadotrophs, thyreotrophs and corticotrophs. Since the patient selectively showed the corresponding pituitary insufficiencies, we speculate on an autoimmune background. Further studies may ascertain the importance of secretogranin II autoantibodies as markers for LyH.
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| 12. |
- Smith-Anttila, Casey J. A., et al.
(författare)
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Identification of endothelin-converting enzyme-2 as an autoantigen in autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1
- 2017
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Ingår i: Autoimmunity. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0891-6934 .- 1607-842X. ; 50:4, s. 223-231
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1) is a rare monogenic autoimmune disorder caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. High titer autoantibodies are a characteristic feature of APS1 and are often associated with particular disease manifestations. Pituitary deficits are reported in up to 7% of all APS1 patients, with immunoreactivity to pituitary tissue frequently reported. We aimed to isolate and identify specific pituitary autoantigens in patients with APS1. Immunoscreening of a pituitary cDNA expression library identified endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE)-2 as a potential candidate autoantigen. Immunoreactivity against ECE-2 was detected in 46% APS1 patient sera, with no immunoreactivity detectable in patients with other autoimmune disorders or healthy controls. Quantitative-PCR showed ECE-2 mRNA to be most abundantly expressed in the pancreas with high levels also in the pituitary and brain. In the pancreas ECE-2 was co-expressed with insulin or somatostatin, but not glucagon and was widely expressed in GH producing cells in the guinea pig pituitary. The correlation between immunoreactivity against ECE-2 and the major recognized clinical phenotypes of APS1 including hypopituitarism was not apparent. Our results identify ECE-2 as a specific autoantigen in APS1 with a restricted neuroendocrine distribution.
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| 13. |
- Smith, Casey Jo Anne, et al.
(författare)
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Identification of TPIT and other novel autoantigens in lymphocytic hypophysitis : immunoscreening of a pituitary cDNA library and development of immunoprecipitation assays
- 2012
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Ingår i: European Journal of Endocrinology. - 0804-4643 .- 1479-683X. ; 166:3, s. 391-398
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Lymphocytic hypophysitis is an organ-specific autoimmune disease of the pituitary gland. A specific and sensitive serological test currently does not exist to aid in the diagnosis. Objective: To identify target autoantigens in lymphocytic hypophysitis and develop a diagnostic assay for these proteins. Design/methods: A pituitary cDNA expression library was immunoscreened using sera from four patients with lymphocytic hypophysitis. Relevant cDNA clones from screening, along with previously identified autoantigens pituitary gland-specific factor 1a and 2 (PGSF1a and PGSF2) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were tested in an in vitro transcription and translation immunoprecipitation assay. The corticotroph-specific transcription factor, TPIT, was investigated separately as a candidate autoantigen. Results: Significantly positive autoantibody reactivity against TPIT was found in 9/86 hypophysitis patients vs 1/90 controls (P = 0.018). The reactivity against TPIT was not specific for lymphocytic hypophysitis with autoantibodies detectable in the sera from patients with other autoimmune endocrine diseases. Autoantibodies were also detected against chromodomain-helicase-DNA binding protein 8, presynaptic cytomatrix protein (piccolo), Ca2+-dependent secretion activator, PGSF2 and NSE in serum samples from patients with lymphocytic hypophysitis, but at a frequency that did not differ from healthy controls. Importantly, 8/86 patients with lymphocytic hypophysitis had autoantibodies against any two autoantigens in comparison with 0/90 controls (P = 0.0093). Conclusions: TPIT, a corticotroph-specific transcription factor, was identified as a target autoantigen in 10.5% of patients with lymphocytic hypophysitis. Further autoantigens related to vesicle processing were also identified as potential autoantigens with different immunoreactivity patterns in patients and controls.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Altraja, Alan, et al.
(författare)
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Expression of laminins in the airways in various types of asthmatic patients: A morphometric study
- 1996
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Ingår i: American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology. - 1044-1549 .- 1535-4989. ; 15:4, s. 482-488
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Laminins (Ln) are crucial in airway morphogenesis. Because they are able to interact with inflammatory cells, they are likely to participate in inflammation accompanied by airway structural remodeling in asthma. Taking biopsies and using immunohistochemistry and quantitative image analysis, we characterized the distribution of Ln chains alpha 1, alpha 2, and beta 2 in the bronchial mucosa of patients with seasonal (n = 17), early occupational (n = 8), and chronic asthma (n = 16) for comparison with that of normal controls (n = 8). In all asthmatic patients, both Ln chains alpha 1 and beta 2 were confined to the superficial margin of the basement membrane (BM), blood vessels, and smooth muscle. The thickness of Ln beta 2 expression in BM was significantly greater in patients with chronic (1.9 +/- 0.1 microns; P < 0.001) and occupational asthma (1.7 +/- 0.1 microns; P < 0.05) than in controls (0.4 +/- 0.3 microns). Only in patients with occupational asthma was the thickness of the Ln alpha 1 layer (2.3 +/- 0.2 microns; mean +/- SEM) significantly different from that in controls (1.4 +/- 0.5 microns; P < 0.05). There was no immunoreactivity for the Ln alpha 2 chain in controls or patients with mild asthma, but in clinically severe chronic asthma we found a discontinuous staining along the epithelial margin of the BM. Since Ln chains alpha 2 and beta 2 appear to function only during morphogenesis, increased expression of these Ln chains in adult asthma patients suggests accelerated tissue turnover in the airways, possibly as a result of airway inflammation in asthma.
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| 17. |
- Andersson, Åsa, et al.
(författare)
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Impaired autoimmune T helper 17 cell responses following DNA vaccination against rat experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
- 2008
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : PLoS. - 1932-6203. ; 3:11, s. e3682-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that vaccination with DNA encoding the encephalitogenic peptide myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)(91-108) (pMOG) suppresses MOG(91-108)-induced rat Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model for human Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The suppressive effect of pMOG is dependent on inclusion of CpG DNA in the plasmid backbone and is associated with early induction of Interferon (IFN)-beta. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this study we examined the mechanisms underlying pMOG-induced protection. We found that in the DNA vaccinated cohort proinflammatory Interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-21 responses were dramatically reduced compared to in the control group, but that the expression of Foxp3 and Tumor Growth Factor (TGF)-beta1, which are associated with regulatory T cells, was not enhanced. Moreover, genes associated with Type I IFNs were upregulated. To delineate the role of IFN-beta in the protective mechanism we employed short interfering RNA (siRNA) to IFN-beta in the DNA vaccine. SiRNA to IFN-beta completely abrogated the protective effects of the vaccine, demonstrating that a local early elaboration of IFN-beta is important for EAE protection. IL-17 responses comparable to those in control rats developed in rats injected with the IFN-beta-silencing DNA vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: We herein demonstrate that DNA vaccination protects from proinflammatory Th17 cell responses during induction of EAE. The mechanism involves IFN-beta as IL-17 responses are rescued by silencing of IFN-beta during DNA vaccination.
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| 18. |
- Aranda-Guillén, Maribel, et al.
(författare)
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A polygenic risk score to help discriminate primary adrenal insufficiency of different etiologies.
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of internal medicine. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 294:1, s. 96-109
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) is the most common cause of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI). Despite its exceptionally high heritability, tools to estimate disease susceptibility in individual patients are lacking. We hypothesized that polygenic risk score (PRS) for AAD could help investigate PAI pathogenesis in pediatric patients.We here constructed and evaluated a PRS for AAD in 1223 seropositive cases and 4097 controls. To test its clinical utility, we reevaluated 18 pediatric patients, whose whole genome we also sequenced. We next explored the individual PRS in more than 120 seronegative patients with idiopathic PAI.The genetic susceptibility to AAD-quantified using PRS-was on average 1.5 standard deviations (SD) higher in patients compared with healthy controls (p<2e-16), and 1.2 SD higher in the young patients compared with the old (p=3e-4). Using the novel PRS, we searched for pediatric patients with strikingly low AAD susceptibility and identified cases of monogenic PAI, previously misdiagnosed as AAD. By stratifying seronegative adult patients by autoimmune comorbidities and disease duration we could delineate subgroups of PRS suggesting various disease etiologies.The PRS performed well for case-control differentiation and susceptibility estimation in individual patients. Remarkably, a PRS for AAD holds promise as a means to detect disease etiologies other than autoimmunity.
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| 19. |
- Bensing, Sophie, et al.
(författare)
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No evidence for autoimmunity as a major cause of the empty sella syndrome
- 2004
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Ingår i: Experimental and clinical endocrinology & diabetes. - : Georg Thieme Verlag KG. - 0947-7349 .- 1439-3646. ; 112:5, s. 231-235
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: The cause of empty sella syndrome (ESS) remains largely unknown. We measured eleven organ-specific autoantibodies in serum in order to evaluate possible autoimmune components in ESS. PATIENTS: Thirty patients with ESS and 50 healthy blood donors participated in the study. MEASUREMENTS: Detection of pituitary autoantibodies was performed by immunoblotting with human pituitary cytosol as antigen. Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and TSH receptor (TRAK) autoantibodies were analysed by radioimmunoassay. The remaining eight autoantibodies were detected by in vitro transcription and translation of the autoantigens and immunoprecipitation. RESULTS: The majority of the ESS patients (18/30) exhibited no immunoreactivity at all. None of the remaining 12 ESS patients reacted against more than one autoantigen. No immunoreactivity was found more frequently among ESS patients than healthy blood donors. Pituitary autoantibodies were not correlated to the ESS patients' pituitary function or sellar size, although the results indicated a tendency of increased autoimmunity in patients with hypopituitarism and normal sella size respectively. CONCLUSION: Detection of autoantibodies is a valuable tool in the diagnostic work-up of autoimmune diseases. By analysing a large number of organ-specific autoantibodies we found no evidence of ESS being associated with any specific autoimmune disease. The pathogenesis of ESS is believed to be heterogeneous and our findings suggest autoimmune components to be of minor importance. In some selective cases, ESS in combination with hypopituitarism may be the result of an autoimmune disease in the pituitary gland but this needs further investigation.
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| 20. |
- Bensing, Sophie, et al.
(författare)
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Pituitary autoantibodies in autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1
- 2007
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 104:3, s. 949-954
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS1) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene. High titer autoantibodies (Aabs) toward intracellular enzymes are a hallmark for APS1 and serve as diagnostic markers and predictors for disease manifestations. In this study, we aimed to identify pituitary autoantigens in patients with APS1. A pituitary cDNA expression library was screened with APS1 sera and a tudor domain containing protein 6 (TDRD6) cDNA clone was isolated. Positive immunoreactivity against in vitro translated TDRD6 fragments was shown in 42/86 (49%) APS1 patients but not in patients with other autoimmune diseases or in healthy controls. By using immunohistochemistry, sera from 3/6 APS1 patients with growth hormone (GH) deficiency showed immunostaining of a small number of guinea pig anterior pituitary cells, and 40-50% of these cells were GH-positive. No such immunostaining was seen with sera from healthy controls. The APS1 Aab-positive, GH-negative cells may represent a novel subpopulation of anterior pituitary cells. In addition, 4/6 patient sera showed staining of a fiber-plexus in the pituitary intermediate lobe recognizing enzymes of monoamine and GABA synthesis. Thus, we have identified TDRD6 as a major autoantigen in APS1 patients and shown that several sera from GH-deficient patients stain specific cell populations and nerves in the pituitary gland.
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| 21. |
- Classen, Jean-Francois, et al.
(författare)
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Lack of evidence of stimulatory autoantibodies to platelet-derived growth factor receptor in patients with systemic sclerosis
- 2009
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Ingår i: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 60:4, s. 1137-1144
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe connective tissue disease of unknown etiology, characterized by fibrosis of the skin and multiple internal organs. Recent findings suggested that the disease is driven by stimulatory autoantibodies to platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), which stimulate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and collagen by fibroblasts. These results opened novel avenues of research into the diagnosis and treatment of SSc. The present study was undertaken to confirm the presence of anti-PDGFR antibodies in patients with SSc. METHODS: Immunoglobulins from 37 patients with SSc were purified by protein A/G chromatography. PDGFR activation was tested using 4 different sensitive bioassays, i.e., cell proliferation, ROS production, signal transduction, and receptor phosphorylation; the latter was also tested in a separate population of 7 patients with SSc from a different research center. RESULTS: Purified IgG samples from patients with SSc were positive when tested for antinuclear autoantibodies, but did not specifically activate PDGFRalpha or PDGFRbeta in any of the tests. Cell stimulation with PDGF itself consistently produced a strong signal. CONCLUSION: The present results raise questions regarding the existence of agonistic autoantibodies to PDGFR in SSc.
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| 22. |
- Eriksson, D, et al.
(författare)
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Extended exome sequencing identifies BACH2 as a novel major risk locus for Addison's disease
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0954-6820 .- 1365-2796. ; 286:6, s. 595-608
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Autoimmune disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Addison's disease, the adrenal glands are targeted by destructive autoimmunity. Despite being the most common cause of primary adrenal failure, little is known about its aetiology.METHODS: To understand the genetic background of Addison's disease, we utilized the extensively characterized patients of the Swedish Addison Registry. We developed an extended exome capture array comprising a selected set of 1853 genes and their potential regulatory elements, for the purpose of sequencing 479 patients with Addison's disease and 1394 controls.RESULTS: We identified BACH2 (rs62408233-A, OR = 2.01 (1.71-2.37), P = 1.66 × 10(-15) , MAF 0.46/0.29 in cases/controls) as a novel gene associated with Addison's disease development. We also confirmed the previously known associations with the HLA complex.CONCLUSION: Whilst BACH2 has been previously reported to associate with organ-specific autoimmune diseases co-inherited with Addison's disease, we have identified BACH2 as a major risk locus in Addison's disease, independent of concomitant autoimmune diseases. Our results may enable future research towards preventive disease treatment.
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| 23. |
- Fall, Tove, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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Diabetes Mellitus in Elkhounds Is Associated with Diestrus and Pregnancy
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0891-6640 .- 1939-1676. ; 24:6, s. 1322-1328
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Female Elkhounds are shown to be at increased risk for diabetes mellitus, and occurrence of diabetes during pregnancy has been described in several cases. Hypothesis: Onset of diabetes mellitus in Elkhounds is associated with diestrus. Animals: Sixty-three Elkhounds with diabetes mellitus and 26 healthy controls. Methods: Medical records from 63 Elkhounds with diabetes were reviewed and owners were contacted for follow-up information. Blood samples from the day of diagnosis were available for 26 dogs. Glucose, fructosamine, C-peptide, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1, progesterone, and glutamate decarboxylase isoform 65-autoantibodies were analyzed and compared with 26 healthy dogs. Logistic models were used to evaluate the association of clinical variables with the probability of diabetes and with permanent diabetes mellitus after ovariohysterectomy (OHE). Results: All dogs in the study were intact females and 7 dogs (11%) were pregnant at diagnosis. The 1st clinical signs of diabetes mellitus occurred at a median of 30 days (interquartile range [IQR], 3-45) after estrus, and diagnosis was made at a median of 46 days (IQR, 27-62) after estrus. Diabetes was associated with higher concentrations of GH and lower concentrations of progesterone compared with controls matched for time after estrus. Forty-six percent of dogs that underwent OHE recovered from diabetes with a lower probability of remission in dogs with higher glucose concentrations (odds ratio [OR], 1.2; P = .03) at diagnosis and longer time (weeks) from diagnosis to surgery (OR, 1.5; P = .05). Conclusions: Diabetes mellitus in Elkhounds develops mainly during diestrus and pregnancy. Immediate OHE improves the prognosis for remission of diabetes.
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| 24. |
- Laitinen, Lauri A., et al.
(författare)
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Bronchial biopsy findings in intermittent or "early" asthma
- 1996
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Ingår i: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - 0091-6749 .- 1097-6825. ; 98:5 Pt 2, s. S3-6, discussion S33-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bronchial biopsy specimens from subjects with intermittent or "early" asthma were compared with specimens taken from healthy subjects. Patients with early asthma included those with seasonal asthma and occupational asthma. There was a small but statistically significant increase in the thickness of the subepithelial extracellular matrix protein tenascin in subjects with seasonal and occupational asthma compared with control subjects. Collagen types IV and VII were increased only in patients with occupational asthma. Eosinophils were the only inflammatory cells that were significantly increased in subjects with seasonal asthma compared with control subjects. These data show that inflammation is present in the airways of patients with early asthma, and the increase in tenascin expression in the basement membrane zone suggests that structural changes are also initiated at an early stage of the disease.
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| 25. |
- Landegren, Nils, et al.
(författare)
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Autoantibodies Targeting a Collecting Duct-Specific Water Channel in Tubulointerstitial Nephritis
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology: JASN. - 1533-3450 .- 1046-6673. ; 27:10, s. 3220-3228
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tubulointerstitial nephritis is a common cause of kidney failure and may have diverse etiologies. This form of nephritis is sometimes associated with autoimmune disease, but the role of autoimmune mechanisms in disease development is not well understood. Here, we present the cases of three patients with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 who developed tubulointerstitial nephritis and ESRD in association with autoantibodies against kidney collecting duct cells. One of the patients developed autoantibodies targeting the collecting duct-specific water channel aquaporin 2, whereas autoantibodies of the two other patients reacted against the HOXB7 or NFAT5 transcription factors, which regulate the aquaporin 2 promoter. Our findings suggest that tubulointerstitial nephritis developed in these patients as a result of an autoimmune insult on the kidney collecting duct cells.
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| 26. |
- Ludvigsson, Jonas F., et al.
(författare)
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Risk of Thyroid Cancer in a Nationwide Cohort of Patients with Biopsy-Verified Celiac Disease
- 2013
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Ingår i: Thyroid. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1050-7256 .- 1557-9077. ; 23:8, s. 971-976
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: In earlier studies based on selected populations, the relative risk for thyroid cancer in celiac disease has varied between 0.6 and 22.5. We aimed to test this relationship in a population-based setting. Methods: We collected small intestinal biopsy report data performed in 1969-2008 from all 28 Swedish pathology departments. 29,074 individuals with celiac disease (villous atrophy; Marsh histopathology stage III) were matched for sex, age, calendar year, and county to 144,440 reference individuals from the Swedish general population. Through Cox regression, we then estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) for any thyroid cancer and papillary thyroid cancer (defined according to relevant pathology codes in the Swedish Cancer Register) in patients with celiac disease. Results: During follow-up, any thyroid cancer developed in seven patients with celiac disease (expected = 12) and papillary thyroid cancer developed in five patients (expected = 7). Celiac disease was not associated with an increased risk of any thyroid cancer (HR 0.6 [CI 0.3-1.3]) or of papillary thyroid cancer (HR 0.7 [CI 0.3-1.8]). All cases of thyroid cancer in celiac disease occurred in female patients. Risk estimates were similar before and after the year 2000 and independent of age at celiac diagnosis (<= 24 years vs. >= 25 years). Conclusions: We conclude that, in the Swedish population, there is no increased risk of thyroid cancer in patients with celiac disease. This differs from what has been reported in smaller studies in Italy and the United States.
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| 27. |
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| 28. |
- Perini, Irene, et al.
(författare)
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Brain-based Classification of Negative Social Bias in Adolescents With Nonsuicidal Self-injury : Findings From Simulated Online Social Interaction.
- 2019
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Ingår i: eClinicalMedicine. - : Elsevier. - 2589-5370. ; 13, s. 81-90
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Interpersonal stress and perceived rejection have been clinically observed as common triggers of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), with self-injury behavior regulating both affective and social experiences. We investigated whether the subjective interpretation of social interaction in a simulated online environment might be biased in the NSSI group, and the brain mechanisms underlying the experience.Methods: Thirty female adolescent patients with NSSI and thirty female age-matched controls were investigated in this case-control study. In our novel task that simulates interaction on current social media platforms, participants indicated whether they liked or disliked pictures of other players during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan. Participants also viewed positive and negative feedback directed toward them by others. The task also assessed the subjective effects of the social interaction. Finally, subjects underwent a separate facial electromyography session, which measured facial expressions processing.Outcomes: Behaviorally, the NSSI group showed a negative bias in processing social feedback from others. A multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) identified brain regions that robustly classified NSSI subjects and controls. Regions in which mutual activity contributed to the classification included dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, a region implicated in mood control. In the NSSI group, multi-voxel classification scores correlated with behavioral sensitivity to negative feedback from others. Results remained significant after controlling for medication, symptoms of depression, and symptoms of borderline personality disorder.Interpretation: This study identified behavioral and neural signatures of adolescents with NSSI during social interaction in a simulated social media environment. These findings highlight the importance of understanding social information processing in this clinical population and can potentially advance treatment approaches.
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| 29. |
- Perini, Irene, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Resilience to substance use disorder following childhood maltreatment: association with peripheral biomarkers of endocannabinoid function and neural indices of emotion regulation
- 2023
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Ingår i: Molecular Psychiatry. - : SPRINGERNATURE. - 1359-4184 .- 1476-5578. ; :6, s. 2563-2571
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a risk factor for substance use disorders (SUD) in adulthood. Understanding the mechanisms by which people are susceptible or resilient to developing SUD after exposure to CM is important for improving intervention. This case-control study investigated the impact of prospectively assessed CM on biomarkers of endocannabinoid function and emotion regulation in relation to the susceptibility or resilience to developing SUD. Four groups were defined across the dimensions of CM and lifetime SUD (N = 101 in total). After screening, participants completed two experimental sessions on separate days, aimed at assessing the behavioral, physiological, and neural mechanisms involved in emotion regulation. In the first session, participants engaged in tasks assessing biochemical (i.e., cortisol, endocannabinoids), behavioral, and psychophysiological indices of stress and affective reactivity. During the second session, the behavioral and brain mechanisms associated with emotion regulation and negative affect were investigated using magnetic resonance imaging. CM-exposed adults who did not develop SUD, operationally defined as resilient to developing SUD, had higher peripheral levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide at baseline and during stress exposure, compared to controls. Similarly, this group had increased activity in salience and emotion regulation regions in task-based measures of emotion regulation compared to controls, and CM-exposed adults with lifetime SUD. At rest, the resilient group also showed significantly greater negative connectivity between ventromedial prefrontal cortex and anterior insula compared to controls and CM-exposed adults with lifetime SUD. Collectively, these peripheral and central findings point to mechanisms of potential resilience to developing SUD after documented CM exposure.
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| 30. |
- Ramsey, C, et al.
(författare)
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Aire deficient mice develop multiple features of APECED phenotype and showaltered immune response
- 2002
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Ingår i: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 11:4, s. 397-409
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is a monogenic autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the AIRE gene. Here we have produced knock-out mice for the Aire gene. The Aire-/- mice develop normally; however, autoimmune features of APECED in Aire-/- mice are evident, including multiorgan lymphocytic infiltration, circulating autoantibodies and infertility. The distribution of B and T cells and thymic maturation as well as activation of T cells appear normal, while the TCR-Vbeta repertoire is altered in peripheral T cells of Aire-/- mice. When mice are challenged with immunization, the peripheral T cells of Aire-/- mice have a 3-5-fold increased proliferation. These findings suggest that the Aire gene is not necessary for normal T cell education and development, while a defect in immune response detected in challenged Aire-/- mice underlines the crucial role of AIRE/Aire in maintaining homeostatic regulation in the immune system.
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| 31. |
- Shum, Anthony K., et al.
(författare)
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BPIFB1 Is a Lung-Specific Autoantigen Associated with Interstitial Lung Disease
- 2013
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Ingår i: Science Translational Medicine. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 1946-6234 .- 1946-6242. ; 5:206, s. 206ra139-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a complex and heterogeneous disorder that is often associated with autoimmune syndromes. Despite the connection between ILD and autoimmunity, it remains unclear whether ILD can develop from an autoimmune response that specifically targets the lung parenchyma. We examined a severe form of autoimmune disease, autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS1), and established a strong link between an autoimmune response to the lung-specific protein BPIFB1 (bactericidal/permeability-increasing fold-containing B1) and clinical ILD. Screening of a large cohort of APS1 patients revealed autoantibodies to BPIFB1 in 9.6% of APS1 subjects overall and in 100% of APS1 subjects with ILD. Further investigation of ILD outside the APS1 disorder revealed BPIFB1 autoantibodies present in 14.6% of patients with connective tissue disease-associated ILD and in 12.0% of patients with idiopathic ILD. The animal model for APS1, Aire(-/-) mice, harbors autoantibodies to a similar lung antigen (BPIFB9); these autoantibodies are a marker for ILD. We found that a defect in thymic tolerance was responsible for the production of BPIFB9 autoantibodies and the development of ILD. We also found that immunoreactivity targeting BPIFB1 independent of a defect in Aire also led to ILD, consistent with our discovery of BPIFB1 autoantibodies in non-APS1 patients. Overall, our results demonstrate that autoimmunity targeting the lung-specific antigen BPIFB1 may contribute to the pathogenesis of ILD in patients with APS1 and in subsets of patients with non-APS1 ILD, demonstrating the role of lung-specific autoimmunity in the genesis of ILD.
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| 32. |
- Smith, Casey Jo Anne, et al.
(författare)
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Intermediate lobe immunoreactivity in a patient with suspected lymphocytic hypophysitis
- 2014
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Ingår i: Pituitary. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1386-341X .- 1573-7403. ; 17:1, s. 22-29
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lymphocytic hypophysitis is an organ-specific autoimmune disease characterised by destruction of pituitary hormone-secreting cells due to attack by self-reactive T lymphocytes. The spectrum of pituitary autoantibodies characterised by indirect immunofluorescence (IF) in these patients has not been substantially defined. The purpose of this study was to determine the spectrum of pituitary autoantibodies in 16 lymphocytic hypophysitis patients. Pituitary sections were prepared from guinea pigs and sera from 16 lymphocytic hypophysitis patients (13 biopsy proven and 3 suspected cases) and 13 healthy controls were evaluated for immunoreactivity to the pituitary tissue by immunofluorescence. A single patient was found to have high titre pituitary autoantibodies against guinea pig pituitary tissue. Immunoreactivity was directed against cells of the intermediate lobe. We present the case report of the patient who is a 24 year old woman that presented with headaches, polyuria and polydipsia. A uniformly enlarged pituitary mass was visible on MRI and a diagnosis of suspected lymphocytic hypophysitis was made. Based on our IF study, we postulate this patient has an autoimmune process directed towards the major cell type in the intermediate lobe, the melanotroph. Pre-adsorption with peptides representing adrenocorticotropic hormone, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone or beta-endorphin did not affect the IF signal suggesting our patient's pituitary autoantibodies may target some other product of Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) processing, such as corticotrophin-like intermediate peptide or gamma-lipoprotein. Alternatively, the autoantibodies may target a peptide completely unrelated to POMC processing.
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| 33. |
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| 34. |
- Van't Westeinde, A., et al.
(författare)
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Increased Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Patients With Autoimmune Addison Disease
- 2024
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. - 0021-972X .- 1945-7197. ; 109:3, s. 701-710
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context Individuals with autoimmune Addison disease (AAD) take replacement medication for the lack of adrenal-derived glucocorticoid (GC) and mineralocorticoid hormones from diagnosis. The brain is highly sensitive to these hormones, but the consequence of having AAD for brain health has not been widely addressed.Objective The present study compared resting-state functional connectivity (rs-fc) of the brain between individuals with AAD and healthy controls.Methods Fifty-seven patients with AAD (33 female) and 69 healthy controls (39 female), aged 19 to 43 years were scanned with 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Results Independent component and subsequent dual regression analyses revealed that individuals with AAD had stronger rs-fc compared to controls in 3 networks: the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the left medial visual and left posterior default mode network. A higher GC replacement dose was associated with stronger rs-fc in a small part of the left OFC in patients. We did not find any clear associations between rs-fc and executive functions or mental fatigue.Conclusion Our results suggest that having AAD affects the baseline functional organization of the brain and that current treatment strategies of AAD may be one risk factor.
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| 35. |
- Øksnes, Marianne, et al.
(författare)
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Quality of Life in European Patients with Addison's Disease : Validity of the Disease-Specific Questionnaire AddiQoL
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : The Endocrine Society. - 0021-972X .- 1945-7197. ; 97:2, s. 568-576
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context: Patients with Addison's disease (AD) self-report impairment in specific dimensions on well-being questionnaires. An AD-specific quality-of-life questionnaire (AddiQoL) was developed to aid evaluation of patients. Objective: We aimed to translate and determine construct validity, reliability, and concurrent validity of the AddiQoL questionnaire. Methods: After translation, the final versions were tested in AD patients from Norway (n = 107), Sweden (n = 101), Italy (n = 165), Germany (n = 200), and Poland (n = 50). Construct validity was examined by exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis, aiming at unidimensionality and fit to the Rasch model. Reliability was determined by Cronbach's coefficient-alpha and Person separation index. Longitudinal reliability was tested by differential item functioning in stable patient subgroups. Concurrent validity was examined in Norwegian (n = 101) and Swedish (n = 107) patients. Results: Exploratory factor analysis and Rasch analysis identified six items with poor psychometric properties. The 30 remaining items fitted the Rasch model and proved unidimensional, supported by appropriate item and person fit residuals and a nonsignificant chi(2) probability. Crohnbach's alpha-coefficient 0.93 and Person separation index 0.86 indicate high reliability. Longitudinal reliability was excellent. Correlation with Short Form-36 and Psychological General Well-Being Index scores was high. A shorter subscale comprising eight items also proved valid and reliable. Testing of AddiQoL-30 in this large patient cohort showed significantly worse scores with increasing age and inwomencompared with men but no difference between patients with isolated AD and those with concomitant diseases. Conclusion: The validation process resulted in a revised 30-item AddiQoL questionnaire and an eight-item AddiQoL short version with good psychometric properties and high reliability.
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