Objectives Patients with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) typically respond well to initial glucocorticoid therapy, but always relapse with tapered or maintenance dosage of steroid. We aimed to identify the risk factors for relapse of IgG4-RD and explore the impact of active intervention on the serologically unstable condition. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 277 IgG4-RD patients at Peking University People’s Hospital from February 2012 through February 2019. They were all followed for >4 months. The primary outcome was patient relapse. Data on recurrence of IgG4-RD symptoms, laboratory and image findings were recorded, along with information on treatment in the serologically unstable condition. Results The cumulative relapse rate was 12.86%, 27.84% and 36.1% at 12, 24 and 36 months, respectively. Younger age at onset, younger age at diagnosis, longer time from diagnosis to treatment and history of allergy were associated with relapse. Identified independent risk factors were longer time from diagnosis to treatment and history of allergy. When serum IgG4 level was 20%, 50% or 100% higher than that of the remission period, similar percentages of patients finally relapsed, regardless of whether they were in the immunosuppression intensified or non-intensified group. Median duration from serum IgG4 level instability to relapse in the intensified and non-intensified group was not statistically different. Conclusion The risk factors of relapse were longer time from diagnosis to treatment and history of allergy. Intervention in the serologically unstable condition was not helpful for reducing relapse rate.

Objectives IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) has recently been recognized as a fibro-inflammatory condition featuring tumefactive lesions in multiple organs, and the salivary gland is one of the most commonly involved sites. We undertook this study to compare detailed demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of IgG4-RD patients with salivary gland lesions (IgG4-RD SG+) and salivary-gland-free IgG4-RD (IgG4-RD SG−) in a large cohort. Methods We carried out a retrospective review of the medical records of 428 cases of IgG4-RD diagnosed at Peking University People’s Hospital between March 2006 and May 2018. Results Among 428 patients, 249 had salivary glands that were affected. IgG4-RD SG+ patients showed younger age at disease onset and diagnosis, and a longer interval between symptom onset and diagnosis. The IgG4-RD SG+ group involved more female patients, and allergic diseases were more common in this group. In terms of organ involvement, the IgG4-RD SG+ group were more frequently presented with lacrimal gland involvement, while lymph node, retroperitoneal fibrosis, pancreas, biliary system, kidney and aorta were more prominent in the IgG4-RD SG− group. In addition, the serum IgG4 level, IgG4/IgG ratio and IgE level were significantly higher in IgG4-RD SG+ patients. Patients with eosinophilia were more common in the IgG4-RD SG+ group, while elevated ESR, CRP and positive ANA were more common in the IgG4-RD SG− group. Conclusion We have revealed demographic, clinical and laboratory differences between IgG4-RD SG+ and SG− patients, which indicated potential differences in pathogenesis and important implications for the diagnosis and management of these two phenotypes.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease affecting the colon and rectum, in which the abnormality of B cells is involved in both its pathogenesis and progression. Follicular helper T cells (TFH) play an important role in assisting the immune function of human B cells in germinal centers, and follicular regulatory T cells (TFR) have the function of inhibiting TFH and germinal center B cell responses. The significance of circulating TFH and TFR in ulcerative colitis (UC) remains unclear. We analyzed peripheral blood of active and stable remission UC patients and found that circulating TFR was significantly decreased while TFH was increased in active UC patients. As to TFH subsets, TFH2 was elevated while TFH17 was decreased in active UC, with IL-4/IL-17A secretion enhanced. Helios + and CD45RA − FoxP3 high TFR cells were decreased while CD226 + and CD45RA + FoxP3 int TFR cells were increased in active UC patients. The levels of new memory B cells, plasmablasts and serum IgG were significantly increased in active UC patients, and were positively correlated with TFH and TFH2, and negatively correlated with TFR. Serum CRP and Mayo Clinic scores were positively correlated with TFH and TFH2 but negatively correlated with TFR. Serum IL-12 and IL-21 were up-regulated while IL-10 was down-regulated in active UC. To conclude, an imbalance of circulating TFH and TFR cells is associated with disease activity in UC patients. Our results suggest a new mechanism for TFH and TFR imbalance in the pathogenesis of UC, providing a new perspective for theoretical research and therapeutic strategies for UC.

Patients with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) often have elevated serum IgG4 levels. Here, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performances of elevated serum IgG4 concentration and IgG4/IgG ratio for IgG4-RD. We retrospectively analyzed 1381 patients subjected to serum IgG subclass testing to differentiate IgG4-RD from other diseases at Peking University People's Hospital from 2012 to 2016. This sample included 133 IgG4-RD patients and 1248 non-IgG4-RD patients. Serum IgG subclass concentrations were measured using Siemens reagents. The median values (25th-75th percentile) for serum IgG4 concentration and IgG4/IgG ratio, respectively, were 8640 (3970-17750) mg/L and 0.339 (0.229-0.517) in IgG4-RD patients and 450 (220-920) mg/L and 0.032 (0.014-0.061) in non-IgG4-RD patients (p < 0.001). For distinguishing IgG4-RD from non-IgG4-RD, the optimal cut-off values of IgG4 and IgG4/IgG were 2100 mg/L and 0.114, respectively. The corresponding area under the curve (AUC) values were 0.964 and 0.970, respectively. Comparison of the receiver operating characteristic curves revealed a significant difference between these AUC values (p = 0.002). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), respectively, were 94.7, 91.6, 54.5, and 99.4% for the IgG4 optimal cut-off value and 96.2, 92.1, 56.4, and 99.6% for the IgG4/IgG optimal cut-off value. Our results confirmed that elevated serum IgG4 concentration and IgG4/IgG ratio were of great value for IgG4-RD diagnosis.

Objectives Neutrophilia is a hallmark of adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD). This study aimed to investigate the role of a distinct subset of granulocytes, the low-density granulocytes (LDGs) in the pathogenesis of AOSD. Methods A total of 56 patients with AOSD were included in the study. LDGs were quantified by flow cytometry. Correlations between LDGs with disease activity and laboratory parameters were determined by Spearman’s nonparametric test. The cellular sources of the pro-inflammatory cytokines in AOSD were determined by intracellular staining. Results Active AOSD patients displayed significantly higher levels of LDGs compared with inactive AOSD patients and healthy controls (HCs) (P&lt;0.001). Circulating LDGs were significantly correlated with CRP, ESR and the modified Pouchot score in patients with AOSD (P&lt;0.01). The levels of LDGs were significantly decreased after the active AOSD patients achieved disease remission (P=0.0391). CD14+ monocytes constituted over 90% IL-1β+ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and over 80% TNF-α+ PBMCs in both active AOSD patients and HCs, respectively. In active AOSD, CD14+ monocytes accounted for 24.6% to 75.0% of IL-6+ PBMCs, while LDGs comprised 22.8% to 72.2% of IL-6+ PBMCs. In contrast, over 90% IL-6+ PBMCs were CD14+ monocytes in HCs. A significant correlation was identified between the levels of LDGs and serum IL-6 levels in AOSD (P&lt;0.0001). Conclusion Active AOSD is associated with elevated levels of a pro-inflammatory subset of neutrophils, the LDGs that produce IL-6. Our data highlight an unappreciated role of LDGs in the aberrant innate immune responses in AOSD.