title: Serologic factors in early relapse of IgG4-related orbital inflammation after steroid treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether serologic factors correlate with early relapse in cases of IgG4-related orbital inflammation, a lymphoproliferative disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the orbital images and serum data of 30 patients with (n=24) or without (n=6) corticosteroid treatment before and after corticosteroid treatment and 6 months after discontinuation of corticosteroid treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven patients (23%) (all with corticosteroid treatment) had elevated serum levels of rheumatoid factor. Of the 24 patients with corticosteroid treatment, 24 (100%) showed regression of the lesion, but 8 of the 24 (33%) showed relapse. The serum IgG4 levels before and after corticosteroid treatment were not significantly different between the relapsed and nonrelapsed groups (P=.5 and P=.2, respectively). However, the incidence of patients who were rheumatoid factor-positive was significantly higher in the relapsed group (P=.02). The 6 patients without corticosteroid treatment showed minor proliferation or regression of the lesion at the 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum rheumatoid factor level may correlate with proliferative activity in IgG4-related orbital inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, National Hospital Organization, Nagoya Medical Center, Japan. aniky@nnh.hosp.go.jp
authors.forename: Toshinobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Suzuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moritani
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016727:Orbital Pseudotumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; C035356:SS-A antibodies; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor