Sellar germinoma mimicking IgG4-related hypophysitis: a case report

Background The differential diagnosis of IgG4-related hypophysitis and other inflammatory diseases or tumors involving sellar region is challenging even after sellar biopsy. Sellar germinoma is usually infiltrated by lymphocytes or plasma cells, and may be confused with hypophysitis. Case presentation A 36-year-old man with diabetes insipidus, elevated serum IgG4 level (336 mg/dl), and sellar mass was suspected to have IgG4-related hypophysitis, and no other lesion of IgG4-related disease was detected. After treated by prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil, the serum IgG4 decreased to 214 mg/dl. However, after withdrawal of the drugs, the IgG4 level increased to 308 mg/dl. Endocrine assessments revealed panhypopituitarism, and the sellar mass enlarged. Transsphenoidal sellar exploration and biopsy was conducted. Pathological examination showed that the lesion was germinoma with lymphocytes and plasma cells infiltration, and IgG4-staining was positive (70/HPF, IgG4/IgG ratio = 10%). The patient was then treated by cisplatin and etoposide. After four cycles of chemotherapy, the serum IgG4 was 201 mg/dl, and the sellar mass was invisible. Conclusion Sellar germinoma can mimic the clinical characteristics of IgG4-related hypophysitis. Poor response to glucocorticoids can be used as an exclusion criterion in the clinical diagnosis of IgG4-related hypophysitis.

Clinical Characteristics and Therapeutic Response of Immunoglobulin G4-Related Disease: a Retrospective Study of 127 Chinese Patients

Background & Aims: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a multisystem fibroinflammatory condition. The aim of the present study was to characterize the clinical features and therapeutic response of patients with IgG4-RD and identify risk factors for disease relapse.Methods: We collected baseline data of eligible patients with IgG4-RD and analyzed clinical feature by interview and review of medical records. The patients who received medical therapy with at least 3 months follow-up were used to characterize the therapeutic response and identify risk factors for relapse. Result: Totally 127 IgG4-RD patients, including 92 males and 35 females, were included in the present study. The median age at diagnosis was 63.0 years, ranging from 23 to 86. The pancreas, bile duct and lymph nodes were the most frequently involved organs. The serum IgG4 level was elevated in 94.5% of the patients and was correlated with the number of organs involved. Patients classified as head and neck limited group were more likely to be female. Patients classified as pancreato-hepatobiliary group had highest aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), bilirubin level (all p＜0.05). Mikulicz syndrome and systemic involvement group had the highest IgG-RI score, serum globulin, IgG and IgG4 level. Among 92 patients who received medical therapy with at least 3 months follow-up,76 received glucocorticoids (GC) alone or in combination with immunosuppressive agents and 16 patients did not take GC. 74 out of the 76 patients (97.3%) achieved remission, with 59 of them remained in remission and 15 of them relapsed. Wheras16 patients did not take GC, among them, 6 patients achieved remission with one patient relapsed. On multivariate analysis, higher initial score of ACR/EULAR IgG4-RD Classification Criteria, GC monotherapy and GC withdrawal were independent predictors for relapse.Conclusion: Different phenotypes of IgG4-RD showed different demographic and serological features. The risk factors of relapse were GC withdrawal, GC monotherapy and higher score of ACR/EULAR IgG4-RD Classification Criteria.

“Stomach mass” as the first manifestation of IgG4-related disease: a case report

Background IgG4-related disease mainly manifests as organomegaly and is accompanied by tissue fibrosis (Mimori, Mod Rheumatol 29(2):213, 2019) which is frequently confused with tumour (Dawei et al., J Gastroenterol Hepatol 29(12):1375–8, 2020). There are few reports with of IgG4-related disease with the first clinical manifestation involving the stomach. Case presentation We present the case of 46-year-old male patient with a “stomach tumour” as the first manifestation of IgG4-related disease. Gastroscopy showed a mass in the stomach, however, the pathology result was chronic inflammation with IgG4 positivity. CT scans of abdomen showed that the stomach wall was thick, the head of the pancreas was swollen, and retroperitoneal fibrosis was severe.The serum IgG4 level was 75 g/L (normal range 0.03–2.01 g/L).After treatment with methylprednisolone for one month, the symptoms were greatly relieved. Conclusions To reduce the suffering of patients and relieve their financial burden, we should consider the possibility of IgG4-related disease when the initial manifestation is a stomach mass.

MPO-ANCA-Positive Hypertrophic Pachymeningitis With Elevated Serum IgG4: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: We report a case of serum myeloperoxidase (MPO)-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-positive hypertrophic pachymeningitis with elevated serum immunoglobulin G (IgG)4.Case presentation: He was a 67-year-old man who appeared headache and hearing loss 7 years ago. He was treated with methylprednisolone and mycophenolate when he was diagnosed with hypertrophic pachymeningitis 2 years ago. He went to the hospital this time because of fatigue and appetite, the results of his blood tests indicated a progressive increase in creatinine and an increase in MPO and IgG4. His kidney biopsy revealed very few infiltrating IgG4-positive cells. Instead, fibrinoid necrosis of arterioles was observed. Considering the clinical process and these findings, the disease was considered more likely to be ANCA-associated hypertrophic pachymeningitis with elevated serum IgG4 level.Conclusions: Our case highlights the importance of the pathological examination and the medical history. Pathological examination and previous medical history play an essential role in the diagnosis of the disease. Only when the disease is correctly diagnosed can it be further treated effectively and get a better prognosis.Data Sources: Data were collected from the patient’s electronic medical records and the hospital laboratory medicine database.

IgG4 Related Disease of The Larynx Mimicking Malignancy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Objectives: Immunoglobulin G4–related disease is characterized by increased serum IgG4 level, enlargement in the relevant organs and histopathologically intense storiform fibrosis, lymphoplasmacytic infiltration rich in IgG4 positive plasma cells, and obliterative phlebitis.Methods and Results: In this report, a patient who underwent a laryngeal biopsy with a pre-diagnosis of malignancy, but had findings consistent with immunoglobulin G4–related disease in the biopsy sample, is described.Conclusion: Immunoglobulin G4–related disease can be seen in very rare localizations. It should be kept in mind in differential diagnosis when tissues especially containing inflammation rich in plasma cells are encountered. Clinical, laboratory and pathological correlation is extremely important in the diagnosis of an IgG4-related disease.

Co-occurrence of IgA nephropathy and IgG4-Tubulointersitial nephritis effectively treated with tacrolimus: a case report

Background Cases of concurrent immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and IgG4-related tubulointerstitial nephritis (IgG4-TIN) are rare and previous case reports have lacked important data. KDIGO suggests a treatment with systemic glucocorticoids in IgAN patients. Glucocorticoids are recommended as the first-line therapy for IgG4-TIN. The use of tacrolimus as a long-term maintenance treatment has not been described. We report the case of a man who developed IgAN and IgG4-TIN without abnormalities in extra-renal tissue, without renal function abnormalities or impairment as well, and was treated by tacrolimus as a long-term maintenance during 45 months follow-up. Case presentation A 56-year-old Chinese man first presented to our hospital with the chief complaint of foamy urine for 1 year and hematuria for 3 months, with a medical history of hypertension. Testing revealed a notable increase in serum IgG4 level without abnormalities in renal function or imaging, or in dysfunction other organs. Renal biopsy showed mesangial extracellular matrix proliferation, increased mesangial cell numbers and infiltration of plasma cells. Immunofluorescence showed mesangial positivity for IgA and C3. Immunohistochemistry staining showed widespread IgG4 and increased CD38 and CD138 expression. Electron microscopy showed immune complexes located on the tubular basement membrane. He was diagnosed with IgAN and IgG4-TIN. He received glucocorticoids, leflunomide and tacrolimus to induce remission. He was given tacrolimus as long-term maintenance treatment. When tacrolimus was temporarily withdrawn, proteinuria recurred. After resuming tacrolimus therapy, he again entered complete remission. After 45 months of therapy, he remains in complete remission and the serum IgG4 level is normal. Conclusions The finding of concurrent IgAN and IgG4-TIN without abnormalities in renal function, imaging or extra-renal tissue is rare and their coexistence may be coincidental. Long-term treatment with tacrolimus proved effective and he has remained in remission during 45 months follow-up.

Suspected IgG4-related disease of the submandibular salivary gland and periorbital soft tissue in a man with latent tuberculosis

A 77-year-old Lithuanian man presented to our institution with recurrent episodes of periorbital cellulitis, submandibular swelling and sialadenitis. Investigations revealed a positive QuantiFERON, raised inflammatory markers and normal autoimmune screen. Cross-sectional imaging showed no signs of occult malignancy, and work-up for mycobacterial infection including imaging and bronchoalveolar lavage did not show active tuberculosis. During hospitalisation, the patient developed fevers of unknown origin, which were investigated with a positron emission tomography (PET) scan and a bone marrow aspiration, without evidence of occult infection or malignancy. Serum IgG4 level was three times the upper limit of normal. The patient responded well to oral steroids but relapsed after completing a slow taper. Serum IgG4 level was three times the upper limit of normal. He had an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism score of 20, in conjunction with involvement of orbital and salivary tissue. Therefore, IgG4-related disease was considered the most likely diagnosis, despite prominent fevers, which are among the exclusion criteria for this diagnosis. After a multidisciplinary review including rheumatology and ophthalmology, the patient was commenced on maintenance methotrexate with remission of symptoms.

AB0125 CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS WITH IGG4-RELATED SYNOVITIS

Background:Elevated serum IgG4 (sIgG4) and IgG4+ plasma cell tissue infiltration are outstanding features of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). However, elevated IgG4 is not specific for IgG4-RD. Our previous study reported elevated sIgG4 in 46% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (Mediators Inflamm 2014). Whether synovium from RA patients show similar characteristics of IgG4-RD and how about the clinical characteristics of RA patients with IgG4-related synovitis have not been reported yet.Objectives:To explore the serum and synovial IgG4 level and their correlation with disease indicators in RA.Methods:Active RA patients who underwent needle synovial biopsy with qualified synovium tissue were recruited. Demographic and clinical data were collected simultaneously. Synovium tissue were stained with H&E for Krenn synovitis score and immunohistochemistry for positive cell densities of CD20, CD38, IgG and IgG4. Serum IgG4 level was detected by immunonephelometry.Results:Among 96 RA patients recruited, 74 (77.1%) were female, the median age was 55.0 (46.0~61.0) years, disease duration was 42.0 (12.0~120.0) months and SDAI was 31.2 (22.1~42.8).The median sIgG4 was 1.38 (0.86~2.42) g/L and 49(51.0%) patients had elevated sIgG4. Compared with those with normal sIgG4, RA patients with elevated sIgG4 had significantly higher levels of PrGA [7 (5~8) vs. 6 (4~7)], ESR [90 (64~116) mm/h vs. 61 (38~75) mm/h], CRP [46.20 (17.20~74.20) mg/L vs. 18.90 (9.46~49.20) mg/L], DAS28-ESR [6.3 (5.6~7.4) vs. 5.7 (4.7~6.4)], SDAI [34.2 (25.3~48.8) vs. 27.8 (18.9~35.9)] and HAQ-DI [1.70 (0.61~2.28) vs. 0.88 (0.40~1.75), all P<0.05]. Meanwhile, they also showed significantly higher synovial counts of CD38+ plasma cells [1240(559~2290) /mm2 vs. 1020(354~1777) /mm2], IgG4+ plasma cells [106 (39~249) /mm2 vs. 68 (3~123) /mm2], and higher ratio of IgG4+/IgG+ plasma cells [26.3 (15.5~38.0) % vs. 15.2 (0.9~24.7) %, all P<0.05].The median IgG4+ plasma cells count was 83 (10~192) /mm2 and median ratio of IgG4+/IgG+ plasma cells was 19.1 (8.4~31.5)%. Both of them correlated positively with ESR, CRP and sIgG4 (r=0.216~0.394, all P<0.05). There were 46 (47.9%) patients with IgG4+ plasma cells >10/HPF, who had significant higher ESR [86 (50~109) mm/h vs. 65 (40~84) mm/h] and CRP [43.35 (16.93~77.85) mg/L vs. 26.15 (9.54~52.53) mg/L, both P<0.05] than those with IgG4+ plasma cells ≤10/HPF. There were 13 (13.5%) patients with the ratio of IgG4+/IgG+ plasma cells >40%, and 11 (11.5%) patients with both IgG4+ plasma cells >10/HPF and IgG4+/IgG+ plasma cells ratio >40% (IgG4-related synovitis). RA patients with IgG4-related synovitis had significant higher ESR than the others [106 (53~125) mm/h vs. 69 (41~91) mm/h, P<0.05].There were 10 (10.4%) patients showing elevated sIgG4 and IgG4-related synovitis. Four patients completed 1-year follow-up and all of them achieved remission at 6th month (SDAI≤3.3, Figure 1). Only one patient had radiographic progression at 12th month.Figure 1.Dynamic disease activity of 4 RA patients with elevated sIgG4 and IgG4-related synovitis during 1-year follow-up.Conclusion:IgG4-related synovitis can be found in RA patients. Their clinical significance in disease characteristics and outcomes are worth further study.Acknowledgements:This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 81971527, 81801606 and 81801605), Guangdong Natural Science Foundation (no. 2018A030313541 and 2018A030313690), Guangdong Medical Scientific Research Foundation (no. A2018062), Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (no. 2019A1515011928 and 2020A1515110061), and Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou (no. 201904010088).Disclosure of Interests:None declared