Current Medicinal Chemistry - Volume 22, Issue 16, 2015

Introduction: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) blocking therapy is an effective treatment for chronic inflammatory arthritis. As circulating TNF might induce or exacerbate the development of congestive heart failure (CHF), several trials have investigated the effect of TNF blocking therapy on CHF. However, due to inefficacy and even a risk of exacerbation of CHF, TNF blocking therapy has since then been contraindicated in patients Read More

Cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke due to enhanced inflammatory atherosclerosis account for increased premature mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Accumulated evidence suggests that accelerated atherosclerosis and related cardiovascular comorbidities in RA are confounded not only by traditional risk factors (TRF) but also by a number of immune and inflammatory pathway Read More

Background: The elevated risk of heart failure (HF) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered to be partly caused by the chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. As potent suppressors of inflammation, biologics were expected to influence HF development in RA. Unfortunately, case reports of HF in RA patients and non-RA HF studies have suggested that these drugs may even increase HF rates in RA. Aim: With this review we w Read More

Biologic agents have expanded the repertoire of efficacious and safe systemic therapies for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis. The biologics act to inhibit key inflammatory molecules that are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of these chronic inflammatory disorders as well as physiologic immune responses. In this paper, we discuss the proposed molecular mechanisms Read More

Recent advances have shed light on the complex pathogenic processes that underlie the development and progression of Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) but management of the disease remains problematic and curative treatment is not available. Better understanding of the underlying pathology has enabled novel therapeutic approaches to be investigated, as therapies in rheumatology are becoming increasingly disease/ organ-specif Read More

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) is the most common autoimmune disorder that is caused by antibody- mediated destruction of thrombocytes and impaired megakaryocyte platelet production. ITP remains a diagnosis of exclusion. Recent pathophysiologic mechanisms and therapeutical approaches of ITP have emerged. Although steroids and intravenous immunglobulins (IVIg) have still been the main thera Read More

Antisynthetase syndrome is a group of closely related rare diseases which clinically manifest with inflammatory myopathies, interstitial lung disease, inflammatory arthritis, skin hyperkeratosis (mechanic’s hands) and Raynaud phenomenon. The pathophysiology of antisynthetase syndrome is not entirely understood, but genetic predisposition, viral infections and medication use may play a role. Certain antisynthet Read More

Behcet’s s yndrome (BS) is a multisystem vasculitis with frequent mucocutaneous, joint, eye and visceral organ involvement. From early 2000s, biologic drugs have been increasingly used in the management of BS, enabling rapid and complete remission in most cases with critical organ involvement. Despite the current experience with steroids and traditional immunosuppressives, biologics are exceptionally promising for Read More

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common hereditary autoinflammatory syndrome. FMF is caused by mutations in the MEFV gene which encodes the pyrin protein. FMF is characterized by sporadic, paroxysmal attacks of fever and serosal inflammation, lasting 1-3 days. Patients may develop renal amyloidosis. Colchicine prevents attacks and renal amyloidosis.5% to 10% of the patients with FMF are resistant or in Read More

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) is a thrombotic-occlusive and an inflammatory peripheral arterial disease with unidentified aetiology. Thrombotic events can lead to limb loss in TAO patients, who are typically young male smokers of low socioeconomic status. It is still unknown whether the initial process is thrombosis or inflammation, so it is difficult to ascertain whether managing inflammation or thrombosis improves the o Read More