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The life span in patients with Schnitzler syndrome has not been shown to differ much from the general population. Careful follow-up is advised, however. A significant proportion of patients develops a lymphoproliferative disorder as a complication, most commonly Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. This may lead to symptoms of hyperviscosity syndrome. AA amyloidosis has also been reported in people with Schnitzler syndrome.
Although it may occur in the absence of other known disease, SS is often associated with hematologic disease (including leukemia), and immunologic disease (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, Behçet's syndrome).
A genetic association has been suggested, but no specific genetic link has been identified.
Periodic fever syndromes (also known as autoinflammatory diseases or autoinflammatory syndromes) are a set of disorders characterized by recurrent episodes of systemic and organ-specific inflammation. Unlike autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus, in which the disease is caused by abnormalities of the adaptive immune system, patients with autoinflammatory diseases do not produce autoantibodies or antigen-specific T or B cells. Instead, the autoinflammatory diseases are characterized by errors in the innate immune system.
The syndromes are diverse, but tend to cause episodes of fever, joint pains, skin rashes, abdominal pains and may lead to chronic complications such as amyloidosis.
Most autoinflammatory diseases are genetic and present during childhood. The most common genetic autoinflammatory syndrome is familial Mediterranean fever, which causes short episodes of fever, abdominal pain, serositis, lasting less than 72 hours. It is caused by mutations in the MEFV gene, which codes for the protein pyrin.
Pyrin is a protein normally present in the inflammasome. The mutated pyrin protein is thought to cause inappropriate activation of the inflammasome, leading to release of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Most other autoinflammatory diseases also cause disease by inappropriate release of IL-1β. Thus, IL-1β has become a common therapeutic target, and medications such as anakinra, rilonacept, and canakinumab have revolutionized the treatment of autoinflammatory diseases.
However, there are some autoinflammatory diseases that are not known to have a clear genetic cause. This includes PFAPA, which is the most common autoinflammatory disease seen in children, characterized by episodes of fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis. Other autoinflammatory diseases that do not have clear genetic causes include adult-onset Still's disease, systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Schnitzler syndrome, and chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. It is likely that these diseases are multifactorial, with genes that make people susceptible to these diseases, but they require an additional environmental factor to trigger the disease.
Another example that shows that autoinflamatory conditions may not be genetic in origin is found in a report published in "Nature" which shows that diet is very important in the development of such diseases. The ingestion levels of highly saturated fats and cholesterol, (high fat diet, HFD) affects the microbiota composition of the gut. Changes in the microbiota induced by a HFD are protective against the susceptibility to develop osteomyelitis (autoimmune disease) as compared with the changes induced by a low-fat diet. The changes in the microbiome of individuals under HFD showed a reduction in "Prevotella" abundance and were accompanied by significantly reduced expression levels of pro-Interleukin-1β in distant neutrophils.
SS is a reactive phenomenon and should be considered a cutaneous marker of systemic disease. Careful systemic evaluation is indicated, especially when cutaneous lesions are severe or hematologic values are abnormal. Approximately 20% of cases are associated with malignancy, predominantly hematological, especially acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). An underlying condition (streptococcal infection, inflammatory bowel disease, nonlymphocytic leukemia and other hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, pregnancy) is found in up to 50% of cases. Attacks of SS may precede the hematologic diagnosis by 3 months to 6 years, so that close evaluation of patients in the “idiopathic” group is required.
There is now good evidence that treatment with hematopoietic growth factors — including granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which is used to treat AML, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor — can cause SS. Lesions typically occur when the patient has leukocytosis and neutrophilia but not when the patient is neutropenic. However, G-CSF may cause SS in neutropenic patients because of the induction of stem cell proliferation, the differentiation of neutrophils, and the prolongation of neutrophil survival.
Unlike other autoinflammatory disorders, patients with CANDLE do not respond to IL-1 inhibition treatment in order to stop the autoinflammatory response altogether. This suggests that the condition also involves IFN dysregulation.
Löfgren syndrome is associated with a good prognosis, with > 90% of patients experiencing disease resolution within 2 years. In contrast, patients with the disfiguring skin condition lupus pernio or cardiac or neurologic involvement rarely experience disease remission.
Cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is a group of rare, heterogeneous autoinflammatory disease characterized by interleukin 1β-mediated systemic inflammation and clinical symptoms involving skin, joints, central nervous system, and eyes. It encompasses a spectrum of three clinically overlapping autoinflammatory syndromes including familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome (FCAS, formerly termed familial cold-induced urticaria), the Muckle–Wells syndrome (MWS), and neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID, also called chronic infantile neurologic cutaneous and articular syndrome or CINCA) that were originally thought to be distinct entities, but in fact share a single genetic mutation and pathogenic pathway.
Typical age of onset is around 40 to 50 years. It is not clear whether it is more common in women than men - patient numbers are small and some studies report a preponderance of men and others women. It is also found in children.
The mortality for toxic epidermal necrolysis is 25-30%. People with SJS or TEN caused by a medications have a better prognosis the earlier the causative medication is withdrawn. Loss of the skin leaves patients vulnerable to infections from fungi and bacteria, and can result in sepsis, the leading cause of death in the disease. Death is caused either by infection or by respiratory distress which is either due to pneumonia or damage to the linings of the airway. Microscopic analysis of tissue (especially the degree of dermal mononuclear inflammation and the degree of inflammation in general) can play a role in determining the prognosis of individual cases.
PAPA syndrome is an acronym for pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum and acne. It is a rare genetic disorder characterised by its effects on skin and joints.
The second most common cause of SJS and TEN is infection, particularly in children. This includes upper respiratory infections, otitis media, pharyngitis, and Epstein-Barr virus, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and cytomegalovirus infections. The routine use of medicines such as antibiotics, antipyretics and analgesics to manage infections can make it difficult to identify if cases were caused by the infection or medicines taken.
Viral diseases reported to cause SJS include: herpes simplex virus (debated), AIDS, coxsackievirus, influenza, hepatitis, and mumps.
In pediatric cases, Epstein-Barr virus and enteroviruses have been associated with SJS.
Recent upper respiratory tract infections have been reported by more than half of patients with SJS.
Bacterial infections linked to SJS include group A beta-hemolytic streptococci, diphtheria, brucellosis, lymphogranuloma venereum, mycobacteria, "Mycoplasma pneumoniae", rickettsial infections, tularemia, and typhoid.
Fungal infections with coccidioidomycosis, dermatophytosis, and histoplasmosis are also considered possible causes. Malaria and trichomoniasis, protozoal infections, have also been reported as causes.
Though the cause is not well understood, the disease is thought to be due to immune system dysfunction, and particularly improper functioning of neutrophils. In support of an immune cause, a variety of immune mediators such as IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-γ, G-CSF, TNF, matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-9, MMP-10, and Elafin have all been reported to be elevated in patients with pyoderma gangrenosum.
Also in support of an immune cause is the finding that at least half of all pyoderma gangrenosum patients suffer from immune-mediated diseases. For instance, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple myeloma (MM) have all been associated with pyoderma gangrenosum. It can also be part of a syndromes such as PAPA syndrome.
One hallmark of pyoderma gangrenosum is pathergy, which is the appearance of new lesions at sites of trauma.
PAPA syndrome is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion, which means that if one parent is affected, there is a 100% chance that a child will inherit the disease from a homozygous affected parent and a 50% chance that a
child will inherit the disease from an affected heterozygous parent.
Recently the responsible gene has been identified on Chromosome 15. Two mutations have been found in a protein called CD2 binding protein 1 (CD2BP1).
This protein is part of an inflammatory pathway associated with other autoinflammatory diseases such as familial Mediterranean fever, Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D with recurrent fever, Muckle–Wells syndrome, neonatal onset multisystem inflammatory disease, and familial cold urticaria.
Usually observed at birth or shortly thereafter in 94% of patients, in other reports, patients did not develop skin lesions until 3 months or even 2 years after birth. Females are typically affected more often than males (64%).
The prognosis is favorable in most patients with an isolated cutaneous abnormality. In the majority of cases, both the vivid red marking and the difference in circumference of the extremities regress spontaneously during the first year of life. It is theorized that this may be due to the normal maturation process, with thickening of the epidermis and dermis. Improvements for some patients can continue for up to 10 years, while in other cases, the marbled skin may persist for the patient's lifetime.
One study reported an improvement in lesions in 46% of patients within 3 years. If CMTC persists into adulthood, it can result in complaints due to paresthesia, increased sensitivity to cold and pain, and the formation of ulcers.
Few reports included long-term follow up of CMTC into adolescence and adulthood. While about 50% of patients seem to show definite improvement in the reticular vascular pattern, the exact incidence and cause of persistent cases are unknown.
Sneddon's syndrome is a rare condition that is usually misdiagnosed. It occurs in families and may be inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. Sneddon's Syndrome most often becomes apparent in women in their thirties, though cases do occur in men and in children. Generally, Livedo precedes cerebrovascular involvement by roughly ten years, and many years of cerebrovascular involvement precede the development of dementia, when it occurs.
Vasculitis secondary to connective tissue disorders. Usually secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), relapsing polychondritis, Behçet's disease, and other connective tissue disorders.
Vasculitis secondary to viral infection. Usually due to hepatitis B and C, HIV, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and Parvo B19 virus.
CRMO was once considered strictly a childhood disease, but adults have been diagnosed with it. The affected tends to range from 4 to 14 years old, with 10 as the median age. As stated above, CRMO occurs 1:1,000,000 and primarily in girls with a 5:1 ratio. That means out of six million, there will probably be 5 girls and 1 boy with the condition.
Due to its inflammatory nature, its recurrent outbreaks, and its lack of any known pathogen, CRMO has been reclassified as an autoinflammatory disease. This particular classification encompasses both hereditary types (familial Mediterranean fever, mevalonate kinase deficiency, TNF receptor associated periodic syndrome, cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome, Blau syndrome, pyogenic sterile arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum and acne syndrome, CRMO) and multifactorial disorders (Crohn's and Behçet's diseases). CRMO is no longer considered an autoimmune but rather an inherited, autoinflammatory disease.
This is a rare condition with an incidence estimated to be less than 1 in a million live births. About 100 cases have been reported worldwide. The bulk of cases are sporadic but familial forms with autosomal dominant transmission have also been described.
The following are conditions commonly associated with pyoderma gangrenosum:
- Inflammatory bowel disease:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn's disease
- Arthritides:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Seronegative arthritis
- Hematological disease:
- Myelocytic leukemia
- Hairy cell leukemia
- Myelofibrosis
- Myeloid metaplasia
- Monoclonal gammopathy
- Autoinflammatory disease:
- Pyogenic sterile arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and acne syndrome (PAPA syndrome)
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
NSAIDs (non steroid anti-inflammatory drug) are the usual recommended treatment for Löfgren syndrome.
Overall, the prognosis for patients with NOMID is not good, though many (80%) live into adulthood, and a few appear to do relatively well. They are at risk for leukemia, infections, and some develop deposits of protein aggregated called amyloid, which can lead to kidney failure and other problems. The neurologic problems are most troubling. The finding that other diseases are related and a better understanding of where the disease comes from may lead to more effective treatments.
SJS (with less than 10% of body surface area involved) has a mortality rate of around 5%. The mortality for toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is 30–40%. The risk for death can be estimated using the SCORTEN scale, which takes a number of prognostic indicators into account. It is helpful to calculate a SCORTEN within the first 3 days of hospitalization. Other outcomes include organ damage/failure, cornea scratching, and blindness.. Restrictive lung disease may develop in patients with SJS and TEN after initial acute pulmonary involvement. Patients with SJS or TEN caused by a drug have a better prognosis the earlier the causative drug is withdrawn.
Since interleukin 1β plays a central role in the pathogenesis of the disease, therapy typically targets this cytokine in the form of monoclonal antibodies (such as canakinumab), binding proteins/traps (such as rilonacept), or interleukin 1 receptor antagonists (such as anakinra). These therapies are generally effective in alleviating symptoms and substantially reducing levels of inflammatory indices. Case reports suggest that thalidomide and the anti-IL-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab may also be effective.