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A bilateral knee septic arthritis due to Salmonella enteritidis developed in a female patient affected by long-standing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with cardiac and renal involvement treated with immunosuppressants and corticosteroids. Because avascular necrosis and multiple osteomyelitic areas were detected at the same time in both right and left femoral condyles, an early localisation of Salmonella into the bone was assumed. Involvement of the joints was regarded as consequence of local dissemination of infection. Ampicilline (0.2 g/kg body weight daily for 2 months) plus ciprofloxacin (1.5 g daily for 12 months) and withdrawal of immunosuppressants appeared to be effective in preventing complications of infection.

A 65-year-old man had had arterial thromboses of the lower limbs and cerebral region for several years; tests revealed anticardiolipin, antiphosphatidylserine, anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies, and lupus anticoagulant. As well, both phenotypic and genotypic resistance to activated protein C was found. Antiphospholipid antibodies have been reported to interfere in different ways with the functions of protein C; in our patient the simultaneous existence of inherited resistance to activated protein C could account for the thrombophilic status underlying the diffuse and serious arterial thromboses.

Associations of antinuclear (ANA) and anticardiolipin (aCL) antibodies with clinical manifestations were analyzed in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). We studied 105 SSc patients: 28 had limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) involving fingers; 36 had intermediate cutaneous SSc involving limbs and face; 33 had diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) involving the trunk; 8 had a sclerosis sine scleroderma. Clinical manifestations and instrumental and laboratory findings were considered to calculate a disease score. Serum anticentromere (ACA), anti-topoisomerase I (anti-topo I) antibodies, and aCL (of IgG/IgA/IgM classes) were investigated by conventional methods. ACA positive patients (n=18), compared to ACA negative, showed higher prevalence of IcSSc (p < 0.001), lower prevalence of restrictive ventilatory defect (p=0.006), and lower disease score (p=0.008). Anti-topo I positive patients (n= 70) showed lower prevalence of lcSSc (p =0.001) compared to anti-topo I negative. In aCL positive patients (n=27) widespread skin and visceral involvement occurred more frequently than in aCL negative. The association with myocardial ischemia or necrosis (p=0.010) was significant. Occurrence of ACA excluded the coexistence of anti-topo I (p < 0.001), and aCL (p=0.037). aCL positive patients showed higher disease score in comparison with ACA positive patients (p=0.003). In conclusion ACA recognize patients with a mild disease. aCL in contrast to ACA are better than anti-topo I in recognizing the most severe pictures of SSc.

One hundred and three patients suffering from systemic sclerosis (SSc), with different extent of skin involvement, were retrospectively examined to investigate the correlations between clinical manifestations and anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL). aCL of IgG, IgA, and IgM classes were measured in the patients' sera by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. aCL were found in 26 patients (25.2%). A significant association was found between aCL and myocardial ischaemia or necrosis (p = 0.011). No patient showed the clinical picture of the antiphospholipid syndrome. On the basis of clinical manifestations, a protocol for disease score was drawn. Patients with IgG-aCL and with IgA-aCL showed a disease score higher than aCL negative patients (p = 0.008 and p = 0.022 respectively). Thus, the finding of aCL can be considered a useful serological index for the most severe forms of SSc.

One hundred and two patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus were observed over 5-140 months. IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) were searched for by ELISA in 448 serum samples, and were found in 88 (86.3%) patients on at least one occasion. Changes of aCL levels and isotypes were recorded in most patients. In patients with medium (20-80 U. GPL and/or MPL) and high (> 80 U. GPL and/or MPL) aCL levels associations with thrombosis, neurological manifestations, cerebrovascular disease, prolonged aPTT, and thrombocytopenia were found. A highly significant statistical association was found between IgG aCL and the occurrence of active disease (p < 0.0001).