[Antisynthetase syndrome: a retrospective study of 14 patients].
OBJECTIVE
Antisynthetase syndrome is a rare entity characterized by myositis (dermatomyositis or polymyositis), interstitial lung disease, arthritis, Raynaud's phenomena and mechanic's hands skin manifestation, and the presence of autoantibodies against aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetase.


METHODS
Fourteen patients with antisynthetase syndrome followed-up between 1997 and 2009 were included. We studied retrospectively their clinical, radiological, and pathological findings.


RESULTS
The sex ratio women/men was 2.5. Mean age at disease onset was 46 years. Arthritis (43%) and interstitial lung disease (38%) were the most frequent features at disease onset. Seven patients had myositis. Ten patients had anti-Jo1 autoantibodies, three had anti-PL7 and one anti-PL12. Corticosteroid therapy was given in all cases, immunosuppressive drugs in 12 cases, due to initial severity (n=8), disease relapse (n=3) or corticosteroid dependence (n=1). After a mean follow-up of 64 months, nine patients improved, four stabilized and one patient died after lung transplantation, required for pulmonary hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
The diffusion of immunologic assay will help us in the future to identify the specificity of this syndrome in order to improve care.
Service de médecine interne et maladies tropicales, hôpital St-André, 1, rue Jean-Burguet, 33075 Bordeaux cedex, France. celine.dieval@chu-bordeaux.fr
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Dieval
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Ribeiro
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Mercié
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Blanco
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Duffau
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Longy-Boursier
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009220:Myositis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents