Immunoglobulin G4-related gastrointestinal diseases, are they immunoglobulin G4-related diseases?

In immunoglobulin G4(IgG4)-related disease(RD),organ enlargement or nodular lesions consisting of abundant infiltration of lymphocytes and IgG4-positive plasma cells and fibrosis are seen in various organs.Although infiltration of many IgG4-positive plasma cells is detected in the gastric and colonic mucosa and major duodenal papilla of patients with autoimmune pancreatitis,it cannot be diagnosed as a gastrointestinal lesion involved in IgG4-RD,because none of the following is observed in these lesions:a mass-like formation;dense fibrosis;or obliterative phlebitis.Based on our review of the literature,there appear to be two types of IgG4-related gastrointestinal disease.One is a gastrointestinal lesion showing marked thickening of the wall of the esophagus and stomach,consisting of dense fibrosis with abundant infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells,which usually show submucosal spreading.The other is an IgG4-related pseudotumor occurring in gastrointestinal regions such as the stomach,colon,and major duodenal papilla,showing polypoid or mass-like lesions.Most solitary IgG4-related gastrointestinal lesions that are not associated with other IgG4-RD appear to be difficult to diagnose.It is of utmost importance to rule out malignancy.However,these lesions may respond to steroid therapy.To avoid unnecessary resection,IgG4-related gastrointestinal diseases should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Mechanisms and anatomical risk factors of pneumothorax after Bevacizumab use:A case report

BACKGROUND Bevacizumab is an antiangiogenic agent,and that synergizes with chemotherapeutic drugs.When used in combination therapies,Bevacizumab is associated with adverse events such as hemorrhage,gastrointestinal perforation,delayed wound healing,and pneumothorax.However,the molecular mechanisms underlying these adverse events are not fully understood.CASE SUMMARY A 45-year-old female with multiple lung metastases that were derived from primary breast cancer,was placed on Bevacizumab+paclitaxel therapy,since this combination has a potent antitumor effect.She reported dyspnea before cycle 3,day 1 and we therefore ran a chest X-ray,which detected a right pneumothorax.The coronal plane computed tomography revealed that one solid mass rapidly necrosed and was replaced by a cavity that passed through the bronchus in the right lower lobe.The cavity eventually ruptured the pleura and made the bronchopleural fistula that led to this pneumothorax.Thoracic cavity drainage using an intercostal catheter was performed.On the 7th day of drainage,the patient was discharged from our hospital on recovery.Recurrence of pneumothorax was not reported,and continuation of chemotherapy was made possible by changing the regimen.CONCLUSION Patients with lung metastases surrounding the bronchi and on the pleura should be monitored for pneumothorax by Bevacizumab-containing chemotherapies.

Hypothyroidism in patients with autoimmune pancreatitis

AIM To examine thyroid function and clinical features of hypothyroidism in autoimmune pancreatitis(AIP) patients.METHODS We examined thyroid function in 77 patients with type 1 AIP(50 males, 27 females; median age 68 years, range 33-85) diagnosed according to the Japanese diagnostic criteria for AIP 2011. We compared clinical and serological findings between patients with and without various categories of hypothyroidism. The change in hypothyroidism after steroid therapy was also examined. RESULTS Eight patients(10%) had hypothyroidism of 6 patients had subclinical hypothyroidism with a normal serum free thyroxine(FT4) and high thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) level, and 2 patients had central hypothyroidism with low serum free triiodothyronine(FT3), FT4 and TSH levels. A significant goiter of the thyroid was not observed in any patient. There were no significant differences in age; male to female ratio; serum concentrations of IgG and IgG 4-related disease(IgG4-RD); presence of antithyroglobulin antibody, antinuclear antigen or rheumatoid factor; or presence of extrapancreatic lesions between the 6 patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and patients with euthyroidism. After steroid therapy, both subclinical and central hypothyroidism improved with improvement of the AIP.CONCLUSION Hypothyroidism was observed in 8(10%) of 77 AIP patients and was subclinical in 6 patients and central in 2 patients. Further studies are necessary to clarify whether this subclinical hypothyroidism is another manifestation of IgG4-RD.