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A minority of patients are diagnosed with thymoma prior to manifestation of the immunodeficient state. Spindle-cell histology is present in most cases.
Because patients with GS have deficient humoral and cellular immunity, they are susceptible to a wide range of infections. Most commonly these patients suffer from respiratory tract infections. Chronic diarrhea is often related to villous atrophy rather than infection (Kelesidis, 2010).
Often autoimmune disease is associated with GS - most commonly pure red cell aplasia and myasthenia gravis. While the patients may experience hypogammaglobulinemia, a large percentage will have autoantibodies present in their serum (Kelesidis, 2010). It is theorized that the presence of thymoma may inhibit the thymus’s normal role in production of self-tolerant T lymphocytes. These T-lymphocytes may then attack the B cell precursors in the marrow, preventing maturation and ultimately resulting in hypogammaglobulinemia (Arnold, 2015).
Thymoma with immunodeficiency (also known as "Good syndrome") is a condition that occurs in adults in whom hypogammaglobulinemia, deficient cell-mediated immunity, and benign thymoma may develop almost simultaneously.
Good Syndrome (GS) is a rare primary immunodeficiency. It is broadly defined as hypogammaglobulinemia associated with presence of a thymoma. It presents in adulthood with an anterior mediastinal mass and recurrent sinopulmonary infections.
The syndrome has been diagnosed around the globe with a focus in Europe. The incidence of thymoma in the United States is 0.15 cases per 100,000 and of these patients, approximately 6-11% have concurrent hypogammaglobulinemia (Kelesidis, 2010). It affects men and women equally and typically is diagnosed in the sixth decade of life, much later than other primary immunodeficiencies.
Dr. Robert Good recognized the association between thymoma and hypogammaglobulinemia in 1954. Since then, little has been discovered in regards to its pathogenesis.
As HES affects many organs at the same time, symptoms may be numerous. Some possible symptoms a patient may present with include:
The hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a disease characterized by a persistently elevated eosinophil count (≥ 1500 eosinophils/mm³) in the blood for at least six months without any recognizable cause, with involvement of either the heart, nervous system, or bone marrow.
HES is a diagnosis of exclusion, after clonal eosinophilia (such as "FIP1L1-PDGFRA"-fusion induced hypereosinophelia and leukemia) and reactive eosinophilia (in response to infection, autoimmune disease, atopy, hypoadrenalism, tropical eosinophilia, or cancer) have been ruled out.
There are some associations with chronic eosinophilic leukemia as it shows similar characteristics and genetic defects.
If left untreated, HES is progressive and fatal. It is treated with glucocorticoids such as prednisone. The addition of the monoclonal antibody mepolizumab may reduce the dose of glucocorticoids.
Sweet described a disease with four features: fever; leukocytosis; acute, tender, red plaques; and a dermal infiltrate of neutrophils. This led to the name acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis. Larger series of patients showed that fever and neutrophilia are not consistently present. The diagnosis is based on the two constant features, a typical eruption and the characteristic histologic features; thus the eponym "Sweet's syndrome" is used.
Acute, tender, erythematous plaques, nodes, pseudovesicles and, occasionally, blisters with an annular or arciform pattern occur on the head, neck, legs, and arms, particularly the back of the hands and fingers. The trunk is rarely involved. Fever (50%); arthralgia or arthritis (62%); eye involvement, most frequently conjunctivitis or iridocyclitis (38%); and oral aphthae (13%) are associated features.
Benign lymphoepithelial lesion is most likely to occur in adults around 50 years of age. There is a predilection for gender with 60–80% being female. The gland affected has a diffuse swelling. The swelling can be asymptomatic, but mild pain can also be associated. There is a preponderance of this disease in those who suffer from HIV infection.
Most cases of benign lymphoepithelial lesions appear in conjunction with Sjögren's syndrome. When Sjögren's syndrome is present, the swelling is usually bilateral. Otherwise, the affected glands are usually only on one side of the body.
In many cases, a biopsy is needed to distinguish benign lymphoepithelial lesions from sialadenosis (sialosis).
In 80% of cases, the parotid gland is affected. Lacrimal glands are also affected.
Gleich's syndrome or episodic angioedema with eosinophilia is a rare disease in which the body swells up episodically (angioedema), associated with raised antibodies of the IgM type and increased numbers of eosinophil granulocytes, a type of white blood cells, in the blood (eosinophilia). It was first described in 1984.
Its cause is unknown, but it is unrelated to capillary leak syndrome (which may cause similar swelling episodes) and eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (which features eosinophilia but alternative symptoms). Some studies have shown that edema attacks are associated with degranulation (release of enzymes and mediators from eosinophils), and others have demonstrated antibodies against endothelium (cells lining blood vessels) in the condition.
Gleich's syndrome is not a form of the idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome in that there is little or no evidence that it leads to organ damage. Rather, recent studies report that a subset of T cells (a special form of lymphocyte blood cell) found in several Gleich syndrome patients have an abnormal immunophenotype, i.e. they express CD3-, CD4+ cluster of differentiation cell surface antigens. These same aberrant T cell immunophenotypes are found in lymphocyte-variant eosinophilia, a disease in which the aberrant T cells overproduce cytokines such as interleukin 5 which simulate the proliferation of eosinophil precursor cells and are thereby responsible for the eosinophilia. It is suggested that most forms of Gleich's syndrome are due to a similar aberrant T cell mechanism and are a subtype of lymphocyte-variant eosinophilia.
Gleich syndrome has a good prognosis. Attack severity may improve with steroid treatment.
Evans syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which an individual's antibodies attack their own red blood cells and platelets. Both of these events may occur simultaneously or one may follow on from the other.
Its overall pathology resembles a combination of autoimmune hemolytic anemia and immune thrombocytopenic purpura. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a condition in which the red blood cells that normally carry oxygen and carbon dioxide are destroyed by an autoimmune process. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is a condition in which platelets are destroyed by an autoimmune process. Platelets are a component of blood that contribute to the formation of blood clots in the body to prevent bleeding.
The syndrome was first described in 1951 by R. S. Evans and colleagues.
The diagnosis is made upon blood tests to confirm not only hemolytic anemia and immune thrombocytopenic purpura, but also a positive direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and an absence of any known underlying cause.
Other antibodies may occur directed against neutrophils and lymphocytes, and "immunopancytopenia" has been suggested as a better term for this syndrome.
It is characterized by enlargement of the lymph nodes near the inner border of the lungs (called "hilar lymphadenopathy") as seen on x-ray, and tender red nodules (erythema nodosum) are classically present on the shins, predominantly in women. It may also be accompanied by arthritis (more prominent in men) and fever. The arthritis is often acute and involves the lower extremities.
Löfgren syndrome consists of the triad of erythema nodosum, bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy on chest radiograph, and arthralgia.
Elevated IgE is the hallmark of HIES. An IgE level greater than 2,000 IU/mL is often considered diagnostic. However, patients younger than 6 months of age may have very low to non-detectable IgE levels. Eosinophilia is also a common finding with greater than 90% of patients having eosinophil elevations greater than two standard deviations above the normal mean. Genetic testing is available for "STAT3" (Job's Syndrome), "DOCK8 (DOCK8 Immunodeficiency or DIDS)", "PGM3" (PGM3 deficiency), "SPINK5" (Netherton Syndrome - NTS), and "TYK2" genetic defects.
Hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome (HIES), of which the autosomal dominant form is called Job's syndrome or Buckley syndrome, is a heterogeneous group of immune disorders. Job's is also very rare at about 300 cases currently in the literature.
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.
PAPA syndrome usually begins with arthritis at a young age, with the skin changes more prominent from the time of puberty.
The arthritis is the predominant feature, noted by its juvenile onset and destructive course. Individuals often recall episodes of arthritis precipitated by a traumatic event. With repeated episodes the joints become damaged with multiple joint replacements required. Hopefully, with improved treatment options, the damage will be limited in new cases.
Pyoderma gangrenosum is variably expressed, which means that it is not always present in all individuals with the disease. It presents as poorly healing ulcers with undermined edges. Pathergy is an important feature (this term refers to the tendency of ulcers to arise at points of injury). There are reports of lesions developing at the site of a joint replacement wound, central venous line and intravenous drip insertion.
Acne affects most individuals with PAPA syndrome but to a variable degree. It is usually of a severe nodulocystic type which if untreated results in scarring.
Dubin–Johnson syndrome (DJS) is a rare, autosomal recessive, benign disorder that causes an isolated increase of conjugated bilirubin in the serum. Classically, the condition causes a black liver due to the deposition of a pigment similar to melanin. This condition is associated with a defect in the ability of hepatocytes to secrete conjugated bilirubin into the bile, and is similar to Rotor syndrome. It is usually asymptomatic, but may be diagnosed in early infancy based on laboratory tests. No treatment is usually needed.
An adenoma of a parathyroid gland may secrete inappropriately high amounts of parathyroid hormone and thereby cause primary hyperparathyroidism.
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.
Second most common primary anterior mediastinal mass in adults. Most are seen in the anterior compartment and rest are seen in middle compartment. Hodgkin's usually present in 40-50's with nodular sclerosing type (7), and non-Hodgkin's in all age groups. Can also be primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma with exceptionally good prognosis. Common symptoms include fever, weight loss, night sweats, and compressive symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, wheezing, Superior vena cava syndrome, pleural effusions (10,11). Diagnosis usually by CT showing lobulated mass. Confirmation done by tissue biopsy of accompanying nodes if any, mediastinoscopy, mediastinotomy, or thoracotomy. FNA biopsy is usually not adequate. (12,13,14) Treatment of mediastinal Hodgkin's involves chemotherapy and/or radiation. 5 year survival is now around 75%. (15) Large-cell type may have somewhat better prognosis. Surgery is generally not performed because of invasive nature of tumor.
Of all cancers involving the same class of blood cell, 2% of cases are mediastinal large B cell lymphomas.
Kasabach–Merritt syndrome (KMS), also known as Hemangioma with thrombocytopenia is a rare disease, usually of infants, in which a vascular tumor leads to decreased platelet counts and sometimes other bleeding problems, which can be life-threatening. It is also known as hemangioma thrombocytopenia syndrome. It is named after Haig Haigouni Kasabach and Katharine Krom Merritt, the two pediatricians who first described the condition in 1940.
PVS sufferers often complain of a burning sensation with the tongue and oral mucosa, and atrophy of lingual papillae produces a smooth, shiny, red, dorsum of the tongue. Symptoms include:
Serial contrasted gastrointestinal radiography or upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may reveal the web in the esophagus. Blood tests show a hypochromic microcytic anemia that is consistent with an iron-deficiency anemia. Biopsy of involved mucosa typically reveals epithelial atrophy (shrinking) and varying amounts of submucosal chronic inflammation. Epithelial atypia or dysplasia may be present.It may also present as a post-cricoid malignancy which can be detected by loss of laryngeal crepitus. Laryngeal crepitus is found normally and is produced because the cricoid cartilage rubs against the vertebrae.
See Hepatocellular adenoma. Hepatic adenomas are a rare benign tumour of the liver, which may present with hepatomegaly or other symptoms.
Most common primary anterior mediastinal tumor (20%) in adults but rarely seen in children. It can be classified as lymphocytic, epithelial, or spindle cell histologies, but the clinical significance of these classifications is controversial. Tonofibrils seen under electron microscopy can differentiate thymoma from other tumors such as carcinoid, Hodgkin's, and seminoma. Patients are usually asymptomatic but can present with myasthenia gravis-related symptoms, substernal pain, dyspnea, or cough. Invasive tumors can produce compression effects such as superior vena cava syndrome. (3,4) Thymomas are diagnosed with CT or MRI revealing a mass in anterior mediastinum. Therapy in stage I tumors consists of surgical resection with good prognosis. Stage II-III requires maximal resection possible followed by radiation. Stage IV disease requires addition of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in addition to those in stage II and III. For those with invasive thymoma, treatment is based on induction chemotherapy, surgical resection, and post-surgical radiation. 5-year survival for invasive thymoma is between 12-54% regardless of any myasthenia gravis symptoms (5,6).
Swyer–James syndrome (SJS, also called Swyer–James–Macleod's syndrome) is a rare lung disorder found by English chest physician William Mathiseon Macleod, and (simultaneously) by physician Paul Robert Swyer and radiologist George James in the 1950s in Canada.
Swyer–James syndrome is a manifestation of postinfectious obliterative bronchiolitis. In SJS, the involved lung or portion of the lung does not grow normally and is slightly smaller than the opposite lung. The characteristic radiographic appearance is that of pulmonary hyperlucency, caused by overdistention of the alveoli in conjunction with diminished arterial flow. and has been linked to adenovirus type 21.
In appearance Swyer–James normally leaves shadowing in a CT scan in the upper lobar regions of one or (rarely) both lungs. Patients with the illness operate in much the same way as patients with mild bronchiectasis. As a result, the illness can go undiagnosed for some time. With current pharmaceutical developments, the prognosis is good for sufferers of the illness to lead normal and healthy lives.