Bio

Dr. Postolova is board certified in internal medicine, allergy/immunology, and rheumatology. She cares for patients of all ages with compromised immune systems or allergic conditions including eczema, hives, angioedema, food and drug allergy, allergic rhinitis, asthma, and chronic rhinosinusitis.

She has authored papers and spoken on care for patients with an overlap of autoimmunity and immunodeficiency and conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, myositis, vasculitis, granulomatous mastitis, and osteoarthritis.

As a native Russian speaker, Dr. Postolova is sensitive to the cultural differences of patients and their families.

Clinical Focus

  • Allergy and Immunology

Professional Education

  • Medical Education: Tulane University School of Medicine (2012) LA
  • Fellowship: Stanford University Rheumatology and Immunology Fellowship (2019) CA
  • Board Certification: American Board of Allergy and Immunology, Allergy and Immunology (2019)
  • Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology (2019)
  • Fellowship: Stanford University Allergy and Immunology Fellowship (2019) CA
  • Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (2015)
  • Residency: Stanford University Internal Medicine Residency (2015) CA

Contact

  • Clinical (Primary)  Menlo Medical Clinic 1300 Crane St Menlo Park, CA 94025 (650) 324-9447 (fax)

Additional Clinical Info

All Publications

  • A Patient with Sjogren's Syndrome and Subsequent Diagnosis of Inclusion Body Myositis and Light-Chain Amyloidosis JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE Hom, J., Marwaha, S., Postolova, A., Kittle, J., Vasquez, R., Davidson, J., Kohler, J., Dries, A., Fernandez-Betancourt, L., Majcherska, M., Dearlove, J., Raghavan, S., Vogel, H., Bernstein, J. A., Fisher, P., Ashley, E., Sampson, J., Wheeler, M., Undiagnosed Dis Network 2019; 34 (6): 1058–62

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11606-019-04931-w

    View details for Web of Science ID 000469884700059

  • Methotrexate in the Treatment of Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis. The Journal of rheumatology Postolova, A. n., Troxell, M. L., Wapnir, I. L., Genovese, M. C. 2019

    Abstract

    Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a disfiguring inflammatory breast disease without effective treatment. We report the largest IGM cohort treated with methotrexate monotherapy.Chart review was performed on patients evaluated by the Rheumatology Clinic, with histopathologically-established IGM, treated with methotrexate, and at least one follow up appointment.Nineteen female patients with an mean age of 33.5 years were identified. Most failed treatment with antibiotics, prednisone, and surgical intervention. By 15 months of treatment with methotrexate, 94% had disease improvement and 75% achieved disease remission.Methotrexate monotherapy is an effective treatment for IGM.

    View details for DOI 10.3899/jrheum.181205

    View details for PubMedID 31203215

  • A Patient with Sjogren's Syndrome and Subsequent Diagnosis of Inclusion Body Myositis and Light-Chain Amyloidosis. Journal of general internal medicine Hom, J. n., Marwaha, S. n., Postolova, A. n., Kittle, J. n., Vasquez, R. n., Davidson, J. n., Kohler, J. n., Dries, A. n., Fernandez-Betancourt, L. n., Majcherska, M. n., Dearlove, J. n., Raghavan, S. n., Vogel, H. n., Bernstein, J. A., Fisher, P. n., Ashley, E. n., Sampson, J. n., Wheeler, M. n. 2019

    Abstract

    We discuss a challenging case of a 58-year-old Vietnamese-American woman who presented to her new primary care provider with an 8-year history of slowly progressive dysphagia, hoarseness, muscle weakness with associated frequent falls, and weight loss. She eventually reported dry eyes and dry mouth, and she was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome. Subsequently, she was additionally diagnosed with inclusion body myositis and gastric light-chain (AL) amyloidosis. Although inclusion body myositis has been previously associated with Sjogren's syndrome, inclusion body myositis is rare in non-Caucasians, and the trio of Sjogren's syndrome, inclusion body myositis, and AL amyloidosis has not been previously reported. Sjogren's syndrome is a systemic autoimmune condition characterized by ocular and oral dryness. It is one of the most common rheumatologic disorders in the USA and worldwide. Early diagnosis of Sjogren's is particularly important given the frequency and variety of associated autoimmune diseases and extraglandular manifestations. Furthermore, although inclusion body myositis has a low prevalence, it is the most common inflammatory myopathy in older adults and is unfortunately associated with long delays in diagnosis, so knowledge of this disorder is also crucial for practicing internists.

    View details for PubMedID 30887439

  • Reply. The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice Postolova, A., Hernandez, J. D. 2018; 6 (6): 2178

    View details for PubMedID 30390915

  • Methotrexate in the Treatment of Granulomatous Mastitis: A Retrospective Review of 19 Cases Postolova, A., Genovese, M. C. WILEY. 2018

    View details for Web of Science ID 000447268903467

  • Anaphylaxis to invasive chlorhexidine administration despite tolerance of topical chlorhexidine use JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE Postolova, A., Bradley, J. T., Parris, D., Sherr, J., McGhee, S. A., Hernandez, J. D. 2018; 6 (3): 1067-+

    View details for PubMedID 29226805

  • Anti-MDA5-Positive Dermatomyositis Presenting as Fever of Unknown Origin JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE Lee, L. W., Narang, N. S., Postolova, A., Seminara, N., Kantor, M. A. 2016; 31 (12): 1530-1536

    Abstract

    Dermatomyositis is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammatory infiltrates in the skin and muscle. The wide variability in clinical and serologic presentation poses a diagnostic challenge for the internist. Appreciation of the clinical variants of dermatomyositis allows for expedient diagnosis and avoidance of diagnostic error. We illustrate these challenges with the case of a 51-year-old Vietnamese-American man who initially presented with fever of unknown origin in the absence of overt skin and muscle manifestations. The diagnosis of dermatomyositis was not evident on several clinical encounters due to the absence of these hallmark symptoms. We review the variable clinical manifestations of a subtype of dermatomyositis associated with an autoantibody against melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (anti-MDA5) and suggest consideration of dermatomyositis as a diagnosis in patients presenting with systemic illness and markedly elevated ferritin, even in the absence of elevated muscle enzymes and classic autoantibodies.

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s11606-016-3769-0

    View details for Web of Science ID 000389626600028

    View details for PubMedID 27350281

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC5130943

  • Corticosteroids in Myositis and Scleroderma. Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America Postolova, A., Chen, J. K., Chung, L. 2016; 42 (1): 103-118

    Abstract

    Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) involve inflammation of the muscles and are classified by the patterns of presentation and immunohistopathologic features on skin and muscle biopsy into 4 categories: dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. Systemic corticosteroid (CS) treatment is the standard of care for IIM with muscle and organ involvement. The extracutaneous features of systemic sclerosis are frequently treated with CS; however, high doses have been associated with scleroderma renal crisis in high-risk patients. Although CS can be effective first-line agents, their significant side effect profile encourages concomitant treatment with other immunosuppressive medications to enable timely tapering.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.rdc.2015.08.011

    View details for PubMedID 26611554

  • Corticosteroids in Myositis and Scleroderma. Rheumatic diseases clinics of North America Postolova, A., Chen, J. K., Chung, L. 2016; 42 (1): 103-118

    Abstract

    Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) involve inflammation of the muscles and are classified by the patterns of presentation and immunohistopathologic features on skin and muscle biopsy into 4 categories: dermatomyositis, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. Systemic corticosteroid (CS) treatment is the standard of care for IIM with muscle and organ involvement. The extracutaneous features of systemic sclerosis are frequently treated with CS; however, high doses have been associated with scleroderma renal crisis in high-risk patients. Although CS can be effective first-line agents, their significant side effect profile encourages concomitant treatment with other immunosuppressive medications to enable timely tapering.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.rdc.2015.08.011

    View details for PubMedID 26611554