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SOX1 antibodies (SOX1-abs) are associated with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). In many clinical laboratories SOX1-abs are determined by commercial line blots without confirmation by cell-based assay (CBA) with HEK293 cells expressing SOX1. However, the diagnostic yield of commercial line blots is low and the accessibility to the CBA, that is not commercially available, limited. Here, we evaluated if the addition of the band intensity data of the line blot and the immunoreactivity in a tissue-based assay (TBA) improve the diagnostic performance of the line blot. We examined serum of 34 consecutive patients with adequate clinical information that tested positive for SOX1-abs in a commercial line blot. Samples were also assessed by TBA and CBA. SOX1-abs were confirmed by CBA in 17 (50%) patients, all (100%) had lung cancer (SCLC in 16) and 15/17 (88%) had a PNS. In the remaining 17 patients the CBA was negative and none had PNS associated with lung cancer. TBA was assessable in 30/34 patients and SOX1-abs reactivity was detected in 15/17 (88%) with positive and in 0/13 (0%) with negative CBA. Only 2 (13%) of the 15 TBA-negative patients were CBA-positive. The frequency of TBAnegative but CBA-positive increased from 10% (1/10) when the band intensity of the line blot was weak to 20% (1/5) in patients with a moderate or strong intensity band. Confirmation by CBA should be mandatory for samples (56% in this series) not assessable (4/34; 12%) or negative in the TBA (15/34; 44%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudoathetosis and Pseudodystonia in Sensory Ganglionopathy Due to Anti-Amphiphysin and Anti-Hu Antibodies: A Rare Presentation Underlying a Neoplastic Etiology Sensory ganglionopathy, pseudodystonia, pseudoathetosis, anti-Amphiphysin antibodies, anti-Hu antibodies Keywords: sensory ganglionopathy; pseudoathetosis; pseudodystonia; anti-Amphiphysin antibodies; anti-Hu antibodies EN sensory ganglionopathy pseudoathetosis pseudodystonia anti-Amphiphysin antibodies anti-Hu antibodies 261 263 3 02/07/22 20220201 NES 220201 Sensory ganglionopathy (SG) is a neurological syndrome that may be associated with paraneoplastic neurologic disorders (PNDs) and is characterized by primary degeneration of the dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons.1 The preferred involvement of the vibratory and position sense can rarely cause pseudodystonic posturing and pseudoathetotic movements.2 Small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is the most common malignant process associated with SG.1 Anti-Hu/ANNA-1 antibodies are the most frequently related antineuronal autoantibodies whereas anti-Amphiphysin antibodies have exceptionally been found in patients with paraneoplastic SG.1,3 In most of the cases the neurologic symptoms precede the cancer diagnosis by weeks or months.1 A 72-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of weight loss and bilateral dorsal radicular pain in the dermatomal distribution of C8. [Extracted from the article]

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects up to 6% of couples. Although chromosomal aberrations of the embryos are considered the leading cause, 50% of cases remain unexplained. Antiphospholipid Syndrome is a known cause in a few cases. Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) anticardiolipin, anti-Beta-2-Glycoprotein-I and Lupus Anticoagulant (criteria aPL) are recommended studies in RPL workup. We tested healthy women with unexplained RPL for criteria aPL and anti-Phosphatidylserine/Prothrombin antibodies (aPS/PT). Patients were classified into three groups according to the number and pregnancy week of RPL: Extra-Criteria (EC), with 2 miscarriages, Early Miscarriage (EM), with ≥3 before pregnancy at week 10 and Fetal Loss (FL), with ≥1 fetal death from pregnancy at week 10. Circulating criteria aPL were absent in 98.1% of EM, 90.9% of FL and 96.6% of EC groups. In contrast, aPS/PT were positive in 15.4% of EM, 15.1% of FL, 16.6% of EC patients and 2.9% in controls. aPS/PT posed a risk for RPL, with an odds ratio of 5.96 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.85–19.13. p = 0.002) for EM, 7.28 (95% CI: 2.07–25.56. p = 0.002) for FL and 6.56. (95% CI: 1.77–24.29. p = 0.004) for EC. A successful live birth was achieved in all pregnant patients positive for aPS/PT who received treatment with heparin, aspirin and/or hydroxychloroquine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We evaluated antibody persistence in children vaccinated with 1 or 2 doses of Havrix. • Seropositivity rates 8 years post-vaccination were 74.3% (1 dose) and 97.7% (2 doses) • Seropositivity rates 10 years post-vaccination were 71.9% (1 dose) and 96.3% (2 doses) Hepatitis A virus (HAV) remains a global public health concern, which is potentially growing in Latin America, due to an expected shift from high to intermediate endemicity levels. The use of HAV vaccines in pediatric national immunization programs (NIPs), either as a 2-dose or a 1-dose schedule, has been explored in Latin American countries; however, evidence demonstrating long-term protection in this population is limited in the region. We evaluated long-term antibody persistence following a 1-dose partial series and the recommended 2-dose schedule used in Panama's pediatric NIP. Two independent cross-sectional serological surveys were conducted at year 8 (Y8) and Y10 following vaccination under the NIP with 1 or 2 doses of an inactivated HAV vaccine (Havrix , GSK). Seropositivity (anti-HAV antibody concentration ≥ 15 mIU/mL) rates and antibody geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) were assessed at each serosurvey. Non-inferiority of 1 dose versus 2 doses was also explored. This study (NCT02712359) included 600 and 599 children at Y8 and Y10 post-vaccination, respectively. Seropositivity rates were 74.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 69.0; 79.2) and 97.7% (95% CI: 95.3; 99.1) at Y8 and 71.9% (95% CI: 66.4; 76.9) and 96.3% (95% CI: 93.5; 98.2) at Y10, in the 1-dose and 2-dose groups, respectively. Antibody GMCs were lower in the 1-dose versus the 2-dose group in both surveys. Non-inferiority was not demonstrated since the lower limit of the 2-sided 95% CI for the between-group difference in seropositivity rates (1-dose minus 2-dose) was < −10%. Anti-HAV antibody persistence was observed in lower percentages of children receiving 1 dose versus 2 doses of Havrix , at 8 and 10 years post-vaccination in Panama. Further investigations are needed to confirm antibody persistence and conclude on the protection afforded beyond 10 years in the pediatric population in Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]