Autoimmunity in connection with a metal implant: a case of autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants

Esthela Loyo, Luis J. Jara, Persio David López, Ana Carolina Puig

Autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA) has been recently proposed by Shoenfeld and Agmon-Levin as a new entity that comprises several conditions: the macrophagic-myofasciitis syndrome, the Gulf War syndrome, silicosis and post-vaccination phenomena, autoimmunity related to infectious fragments, hormones, aluminum, silicone, squalene oil, and pristane. We report the case of a 23-year-old woman who developed serial episodes of high fever, extreme fatigue, transient thrombocytopenia, multiple cervical adenopathies, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, neutropenia, severe proteinuria and urine sediment abnormalities, elevated serum ferritin levels, and transient low positive antinuclear antibodies 1 year after she had a nickel-titanium chin implant for cosmetic reasons. The clinical picture simulated a variety of probable diseases: systemic lupus erythematosus, Kikuchi-Fujimoto syndrome, adult onset Still's disease, antiphospholipid syndrome, and hemophagocytic syndrome, among others, so she underwent an extensive medical investigation including two lymph node biopsies. She received treatment accordingly with steroids, methotrexate, and mofetil mycophenolate, with initial improvement of her symptoms, which recurred every time the dose was reduced. Two and a half years later the patient decided to retire the chin implant and afterwards all her systemic symptoms have disappeared. She remains in good health, without recurrence of any symptom and off medications until today. Albeit this patient fulfills proposed major ASIA criteria, to our knowledge it would be the first description of systemic features of autoinflammation in connection with a metal implant.