There is growing evidence that infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can lead to dysregulation of the immune system and, consequently, the development of autoimmune phenomena. Here, we describe the case of a 75-year-old woman with rheumatic manifestations characterized by intense musculoskeletal pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders, with sudden onset and with the inability to raise her arms. The patient was admitted with severe pain located in the neck and shoulders. Previously, she had oropharyngeal pain, severe fatigue, and fever; a real-time polymerase chain reaction test for COVID-19 was positive. Two weeks later, the patient presented localized musculoskeletal pain in the neck and shoulders. Relevant laboratory results included an erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 46mm/hr and a negative rheumatoid factor test; ultrasound findings with bilateral subacromialsubdeltoid bursitis were observed. A diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) was initially made according to the EULAR/ACR provisional classification criteria for PMR; however, due to C-reactive protein negativity, the diagnosis was established based on symptoms. Management was with prednisone at the dose of 25mg/day for 4 weeks and progressive reduction until prednisone suspension. The patient showed complete recovery at 6 months of follow-up. In this case, COVID-19 was implicated in the development of autoimmune and inflammatory rheumatic manifestations. PMR is a rare rheumatic condition that should be included in the wide range of rheumatologic manifestations expressed post-SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Fifty‐six aphaereses were performed in 23 pediatric patients with malignant hematological and solid tumors, following three different protocols for PBPC mobilization and distributed as follows: A: seventeen mobilized with 4 g/m² of cyclophosphamide (CFA) and 10 μg/kg/day of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G‐CSF), B: nineteen with CFA + G‐CSF, and C: twenty only with G‐CSF when the WBC count exceeded 10 × 10⁹/L. The average number of MNC/kg body weight (BW)/aphaeresis was 0.4 × 10⁸ (0.1–1.4), 2.25 × 10⁸ (0.56–6.28), and 1.02 × 10⁸ (0.34–2.5) whereas the average number of CD34+ cells/kg BW/aphaeresis was 0.18 × 10⁶/kg (0.09–0.34), 1.04 × 10⁶ (0.19–9.3), and 0.59 × 10⁶ (0.17–0.87) and the count of CFU/kg BW/aphaeresis was 1.11 × 10⁵ (0.31–2.12), 1.16 × 10⁵ (0.64–2.97), and 1.12 × 10⁵ (0.3–6.63) in groups A, B, and C, respectively. The collection was better in group B versus group A (p = 0.007 and p = 0.05, resp.) and in group C versus group A (p = 0.08 and p = 0.05, resp.). The collection of PBPCs was more effective in the group mobilized with CFM + G‐CSF when the WBC exceeded 10 × 10³/μL in terms of MNC and CD34+ cells and there was no toxicity of the chemotherapy.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/4078215.].

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multi-potential non-hematopoietic progenitor cells capable of immuno-modulatory activities that diminish adaptive and innate immune responses. MSCs have been the object of multiple publications because their ability to regulate the immunological system and converted MSCs into a promise of developing cell therapies for various autoimmune rheumatic diseases. The present documents summarize clinical studies with efficacy and satisfactory safety profile in which MSCs have been used for cell therapies in systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis.