Respiratory & Systemic Diseases
Systemic Diseases
Miquel Vilardell Tarres
Principal investigators Josefina Cortes Hernandez, Antonio Julia Cano, Sara Marsal Barril, Consuelo Modesto Caballero, José Ordi Ros, Anna Sala Cunill, Antonio San Jose Laporte, Albert Selva O’Callaghan, Roser Solans Laque, Ernesto Trallero Araguas | Researchers Juan José de Agustin de Oro, Cayetano Alegre de Miquel, Jaume Alijotas Reig, Eva Balada Prades, Mireia Barcelo Bru, José Ángel Bosch Gil, Segundo Bujan Rivas, Victòria Cardona Dahl, Vicenç Fonollosa Pla, Mar Guilarte Clavero, Moisés Labrador Horrillo, Joan Lima Ruiz, Olga Luengo Sánchez, Fernando Martínez Valle, José Pardos Gea, Mari Carmen Pérez Bocanegra, Jorge Pérez López, Basilio Rodriguez Diez, Agustí Sellas Fernández, Carmen Pilar Simeón Aznar, Cristina Solé Marce | Researchers in training Adrià Aterido Ballonga, Alfredo Guillen Del Castillo, Pedro Pablo Perrotti, Andrea Pluma Sanjurjo, Marc Ramentol Sintas | Nursing, technical and administrative staff Alba Casals Acien, Maria Lidon Felip Pascual, Daniel Granados Pino, Antoni Moliné Pareja, Nuria Palau Balaá, Susana Sánchez Torres, Raul Tortosa Mendez
Summary
We have established that in patients with anti-MDA5 antibodies and clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis associated with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease, therapy with hemoperfusion with polymyxin B and plasmapheresis may be a lifesaving strategy. We have also solved a controversy that has recently arisen about HHV-8 and systemic autoimmune diseases. Thus, according to our results, HHV-8 is usually not present in the blood from these patients. When a highly specific peptide is used, HHV-8 antibodies are rarely detected. We have also seen that miR-29c in urinary exosomes may be used as a predictor of early renal fibrosis in lupus nephritis. Regarding the allergy studies, we could demonstrate that the factor XII-driven contact system contributes to the pathogenesis of anaphylaxis. Finally, we have clinically and therapeutically defined the clinical presentation, histopathological characteristics, treatment and evolution of a series of 55 patients with IgG4-related disease.