Researchers in Japan studying genetic data from hundreds of patients confirmed several genetic variations and identified new ones as genetic risk factors of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). Two variations were associated with an increased susceptibility to IgG4-related dacryoadenitis and sialadenitis (Mikulicz’s disease), a form of IgG4-RD marked by inflammation of…
Researchers in Japan have described the clinical features of a large group of people with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) affecting the gastrointestinal tract, shedding new light on this poorly characterized manifestation of the condition. In addition to four previously reported hallmark tissue features, IgG4-related gastrointestinal disease (IgG4-GID) appeared almost exclusively…
Nearly one in 10 people with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) also have at least one co-existing autoimmune disease, according to a real-world study in China. Researchers identified 19 different autoimmune diseases in 85 IgG4-RD patients, most of which developed before or concurrently with the IgG4-RD diagnosis. Even so,…
Measuring a specific type of antibody in the blood called immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) is proving to be a highly effective tool for doctors to diagnose, assess, and monitor the rare and complex condition known as IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD). A study found that elevated IgG4 levels correlate strongly with multi-organ…
People with the inflammatory condition IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) face a more severe form of illness when their pancreas is affected, according to a single-center study in China. Specifically, patients who develop autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) show worse clinical features, especially if the disease also involves the bile ducts, suggesting that…
A new program aims to support people with immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) and their families by helping cover out-of-pocket medical costs associated with treatment. The Assistance Fund (TAF) launched the program to help eligible patients with costs including copayments, health insurance premiums, and incidental medical expenses. “For people…
Imaging scans of people with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) affecting the lungs revealed two primary types of lung damage, which corresponded to different disease features, a study reports. One damage pattern, called round ground-glass opacity (GGO), suggested more extensive injury than the other, and was more frequently associated with male…
A type of imaging scan called DWIBS may offer a safe, noninvasive way to detect immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) across the entire body with a single scan and track response to treatment more accurately, a small study suggests. “DWIBS can readily detect IgG4-RD lesions throughout the body simultaneously and…
For a 16-year-old girl in Turkey, immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) manifested as a narrowing of the windpipe, known as tracheal stenosis, which was marked by shortness of breath as the main problem for which she sought treatment. The teen’s symptoms were eased, and her windpipe widened, after treatment with…
As IgG4-related pancreatitis, or pancreas inflammation, becomes increasingly recognized as a manifestation of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), physicians need to better understand how to recognize and treat it, according to a review study giving a comprehensive overview of the clinical features associated with IgG4-related pancreatitis (IRP) and how it should be…
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