Rumi Minami

..We also examined the effect of some antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) on adipocytes in vitro...

..A better understanding of the mechanism of ARV-induced metabolic abnormalities could lead to safer use of ARVs or selection of alternative agents for further clinical development...

..This may be one of the mechanisms by which HHV-8 infection induces thrombocytopenia. These results indicate that HHV-8 DNA in leukocytes may provide useful information for the assessment of the clinical appearance of HIV-1 infection...

..We measured HIV-1 DNA levels in CD4(+) lymphocytes in such patients to investigate their clinical significance...

..Diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis was made from the findings of a nodular lesion in the left lung. Rituximab should be considered for patients with refractory ANCA-associated vasculitis...

..This was a rare case of severe influenza-associated hemophagocytic syndrome and steroid-resistant pericardial effusion in an SLE patient...

..The prevalence of the complication of SLE and AIH has been reported as 1.7 approximately 2.7%, and that of SLE and TTP as 1 approximately 4%. We reported here a rare case of SLE complicated with AIH and TTP...

..Seven patients recovered, but one died from an exacerbation of the disease. These data indicated that plasmapheresis and immunosuppressive therapy improved prognosis of TTP associated with SLE...

..To investigate the clinical characteristics of patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), including symptoms, blood chemistry and immunological findings...

..These findings indicate that clinical and radiographic remission is possible in some patients with RA after the discontinuation of etanercept...

..16 and 5.34, respectively. Our data indicated that determination of anti-CCP antibody was useful for early diagnosis of RA...

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..This is a rare case characterized by a late appearance of MPO-ANCA, which occurred after more than one year after the onset of renal failure in MPA...

..We decreased the dose of methylprednisolone slowly without noting a relapse. The use of CsA accompanied by C2 and trough level monitoring should be considered for refractory AOSD patients with high levels of serum IL-18...

..To prevent an impairment of organs, an early diagnosis involving the use of antibodies to type II collagen and steroid therapy are important in this disease...

..Further studies are warranted to disclose a prevalence of TCR gene rearrangement in CSS patients and its pathophysiological roles in the development of this disease...

..AOSD in the active stage is known to cause hypercytokinemia and immunological derangement. Our case indicated that the pathogenesis of AOSD might lead to relapse of coexisting Basedow's disease...

..This case suggests that rituximab is also effective against corticosteroid-resistant polyarteritis nodosa...

..The successful treatment of this patient by rituximab therefore suggests that it is an effective and new therapeutic approach for the treatment of refractory Wegener's granulomatosis...

..These findings show that HIV-specific lymphocytes decline with antiretroviral therapy and steroid treatment within early HIV infection. It is therefore important to interpret negative serological tests carefully in patients such as ours...

..These results indicate that RCAS1 is one of the mechanisms of CD4(+) T cell depletion induced by HIV infection...

..Further study is needed to determine the appropriate usage and timing of the anti-HHV-8 and HIV-1 medication...

..The left auricular cartilage biopsy specimen revealed cartilage destruction with infiltration of plasmacytes expressing IgG4. This case suggests that IgG4 may be involved in the pathogenesis and etiology of relapsing polychondritis...

..Further studies are needed to determine the optimal treatment strategy, however, early diagnosis and prompt careful treatment can reduce mortality...

..Our study suggests that these inhibitory T cells may therefore have played an important role in the pathogenesis of this patient...

..64; p<0.05). Continued activities are needed to raise awareness of the risks of HIV-1 infection and complications of drug-resistant strains. Continued surveillance is also needed to understand trends in the HIV-1 epidemic...

..These data thus indicated that CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells contributes to occurrence and progression of RA, and other regulatory T cells or cytokines contribute to occurrence and progression of SSc and SLE...