Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with cancer and pre-existing systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies have dramatically improved outcomes in multiple cancers. ICI's mechanism of action involves immune system activation to augment anti-tumor immunity. Patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases, such as systemic sclerosis (SSc), were excluded from initial ICI clinical trials due to concern that such immune system activation could precipitate an autoimmune disease flare or new, severe immune related adverse events (irAE). In the present study, we report our experience with ICIs in patients with pre-existing SSc.

METHODS

Patients with SSc who received ICI therapy for cancer were identified from the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center Research Registry. Through chart review and prespecified definitions, we identified whether patients experienced worsening SSc activity or new irAEs. SSc disease activity worsening was pre-defined as an increase in modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), new scleroderma renal crisis, progression of interstitial lung disease (ILD) on CT scan, increased Raynaud's phenomenon frequency or severity, new pulmonary hypertension, or myositis flare. IrAEs also included active inflammatory arthritis and dermatitis.

RESULTS

Eight patients with SSc who received ICI therapy for cancer were included. Overall, SSc symptoms remained stable during and after ICI therapy. None of the patients with long-standing sine or limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) had progressive skin thickening after ICI therapy. One patient, who was early in his diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) disease course, experienced worsening skin thickening and renal crisis. Three patients (38 %) experienced a total of five irAEs (grade 2: diarrhea, mucositis and dermatitis; grade 3: pneumonitis, and grade 4: nephritis). The patient with grade 4 nephritis developed scleroderma renal crisis and immune checkpoint related nephritis simultaneously. There were no deaths due to irAEs.

CONCLUSION

In this study, ICI therapy was well tolerated in patients with longstanding, sine or lcSSc. IrAE were common but generally manageable. Patients with early, active SSc may be at greater risk from ICI therapy, but more research is needed.

Racial variability in immune responses only partially explains differential systemic sclerosis disease severity

OBJECTIVE

To understand if autoantibodies account for racial variation in disease severity, we compared autoantibody distribution and associated phenotype between self-identified black and white systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients.

METHODS

803 black and 2178 white SSc patients had systematic testing for autoantibodies using Euroimmun (centromere (ACA), RNA-polymerase III (POLR3), Scl70, PM/Scl, NOR90, Th/To, Ku, U3RNP and Ro52) and commercial ELISA (U1RNP). In this observational study, logistic regression was performed to assess the association between self-identified race and outcomes, adjusting for autoantibodies. To estimate whether the effect of race was mediated by autoantibody status, race coefficients from multivariate models including and excluding autoantibodies were compared.

RESULTS

Anti-Scl70, anti-U1RNP, anti-U3RNP, anti-Th/To, anti-Ku and anti-NOR90 were more common in the black cohort than in the white cohort, which was enriched for ACA, anti-POLR3 and anti-PM/Scl. Black individuals had a higher prevalence of severe Raynaud's, skin, lung, gastrointestinal and renal disease whereas white individuals had a higher prevalence of severe heart and muscle disease. Adjusting for autoantibodies decreased the effect of race on outcome for telangiectasias, forced vital capacity <70%, pulmonary hypertension and severe lung, heart, muscle and gastrointestinal disease by 11%-44% and increased the association between race and renal crisis and severe kidney disease by 37%-52%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the largest systematic analysis of autoantibody responses in a geographically diverse population of black SSc patients. Black and white individuals with SSc have distinct autoantibody profiles. Autoantibodies explain only a fraction of the effect of race on clinical outcomes, suggesting other factors contribute to disparate outcomes between these groups.

The Impact of Radiation Therapy in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis and Head and Neck Cancer

OBJECTIVE

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is considered a relative, or in some cases, absolute contraindication for radiation therapy for various cancers; however, radiation is the standard of care and the best option for tumor control for locally advanced head and neck (H&N) cancer. We present a case series to document postradiation outcomes in patients with SSc and H&N cancer.

METHODS

Patients with SSc and H&N cancer treated with radiation were identified from the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center and the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Center research registries. Through chart review, we identified whether patients developed predetermined acute and late side effects or changes in SSc activity from radiation. We further describe therapies used to prevent and treat radiation-induced fibrosis.

RESULTS

Thirteen patients with SSc who received radiation therapy for H&N cancer were included. Five-year survival was 54%. Nine patients (69%) developed local radiation-induced skin thickening, and 7 (54%) developed reduced neck range of motion. Two patients required long-term percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy use due to radiation therapy complications. No patients required respiratory support related to radiation therapy. Regarding SSc disease activity among the patients with established SSc before radiation therapy, none experienced interstitial lung disease progression in the postradiation period. After radiation, one patient had worsening skin disease outside the radiation field; however, this patient was within the first year of SSc, when progressive skin disease is expected. Treatment strategies to prevent radiation fibrosis included pentoxifylline, amifostine, and vitamin E, while intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was used to treat it.

CONCLUSION

Although some patients with SSc who received radiation for H&N cancer developed localized skin thickening and reduced neck range of motion, systemic flares of SSc were uncommon. This observational study provides evidence to support the use of radiation therapy for H&N cancer in patients with SSc when radiation is the best treatment option.

Myositis mimics in scleroderma: A case series of neuromuscular diseases that can co-exist in scleroderma

We present a case series of four patients with systemic sclerosis and skeletal myopathy. While idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, or myositis, are thought to be the most common type of muscle disease seen in systemic sclerosis, we highlight four cases where unique clinical findings and careful assessment ruled out myositis mimics. Key diagnostic tools that can be helpful for clinicians to diagnose a neuromuscular disease are also detailed in this report.

Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease: Evidence-based Recommendations. An Official American Thoracic Society Clinical Practice Guideline

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). To date, clinical practice guidelines regarding treatment for patients with SSc-ILD are primarily consensus based. Methods: An international expert guideline committee composed of 24 individuals with expertise in rheumatology, SSc, pulmonology, ILD, or methodology, and with personal experience with SSc-ILD, discussed systematic reviews of the published evidence assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Predetermined conflict-of-interest management strategies were applied, and recommendations were made for or against specific treatment interventions exclusively by the nonconflicted panelists. The confidence in effect estimates, importance of outcomes studied, balance of desirable and undesirable consequences of treatment, cost, feasibility, acceptability of the intervention, and implications for health equity were all considered in making the recommendations. This was in accordance with the American Thoracic Society guideline development process, which is in compliance with the Institute of Medicine standards for trustworthy guidelines. Results: For treatment of patients with SSc-ILD, the committee: 1) recommends the use of mycophenolate; 2) recommends further research into the safety and efficacy of (a) pirfenidone and (b) the combination of pirfenidone plus mycophenolate; and 3) suggests the use of (a) cyclophosphamide, (b) rituximab, (c) tocilizumab, (d) nintedanib, and (e) the combination of nintedanib plus mycophenolate. Conclusions: The recommendations herein provide an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the treatment of patients with SSc-ILD and are intended to serve as the basis for informed and shared decision making by clinicians and patients.

Distinct Scleroderma Autoantibody Profiles Stratify Patients for Cancer Risk at Scleroderma Onset and During the Disease Course

OBJECTIVES

We examined whether an array of scleroderma autoantibodies associates with risk of cancer and could be useful tools for risk stratification.

METHODS

Scleroderma cancer cases and scleroderma controls without cancer from the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center and the University of Pittsburgh Scleroderma Center were studied. Sera were assayed by Lineblot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for autoantibodies against centromere, topoisomerase 1, RNA polymerase (POLR) 3, PM/Scl, Th/To, NOR90, U3 RNP, Ku, Ro52, U1RNP, and RNPC3. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine whether distinct autoantibodies associated with overall cancer at any time and cancer-associated scleroderma (cancer occurring three years before and after scleroderma onset). The effects of having more than one autoantibody on cancer were further examined using random forest analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 676 cases and 687 controls were studied. After adjusting for relevant covariates, anti-POLR3 (odds ratio [OR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-2.11) and monospecific anti-Ro52 (OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.29-3.74) were associated with an increased overall cancer risk, whereas anticentromere (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51-0.93) and anti-U1RNP (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.43-0.93) were associated with lower risk. When examining risk of cancer-associated scleroderma, these immune responses remained associated with increased or decreased risk: anti-POLR3 (OR 2.28, 95% CI 1.33-3.91), monospecific anti-Ro52 (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.05-6.30), anticentromere (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20-0.74), and anti-U1RNP (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.11-0.93). Anti-Ro52 plus anti-U1RNP or anti-Th/To was associated with decreased cancer risk compared with anti-Ro52 alone.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that five distinct scleroderma immune responses, alone or in combination, may be useful tools to stratify the risk of cancer for scleroderma patients. Further study examining cancer risk in autoantibody subgroups relative to the general population is warranted.

Anti-Gephyrin Antibodies: A Novel Specificity in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis and Lower Bowel Dysfunction

OBJECTIVE

Autoantibodies are clinically useful in phenotyping patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Gastrointestinal (GI) function is regulated by the enteric nervous system (ENS) and commonly impaired in SSc, suggesting that the SSc autoimmune response may target ENS antigens. We sought to identify novel anti-ENS autoantibodies with an aim to clinically phenotype SSc GI dysfunction.

METHODS

Serum from a patient with SSc with GI dysfunction but without defined SSc-associated autoantibodies was used for autoantibody discovery. Immunoprecipitations performed with murine myenteric plexus lysates were on-bead digested, and autoantigens were identified by mass spectrometry. Prevalence was determined, and clinical features associated with novel autoantibodies were evaluated in a SSc cohort using regression analyses. The expression of gephyrin in human GI tract tissue was examined by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

We identified gephyrin as a novel SSc autoantigen. Anti-gephyrin antibodies were present in 9% of patients with SSc (16/188) and absent in healthy controls (0/46). Anti-gephyrin antibody-positive patients had higher constipation scores (1.00 vs 0.50, P = 0.02) and were more likely to have severe constipation and severe distention/bloating (46% vs 15%, P = 0.005; 54% vs 25%, P = 0.023, respectively). Anti-gephyrin antibody levels were significantly higher among patients with severe constipation (0.04 vs 0.00; P = 0.001) and severe distention and bloating (0.03 vs 0.004; P = 0.010). Severe constipation was associated with anti-gephyrin antibodies even in the adjusted model. Importantly, gephyrin was expressed in the ENS, which regulates gut motility.

CONCLUSION

Gephyrin is a novel ENS autoantigen that is expressed in human myenteric ganglia. Anti-gephyrin autoantibodies are associated with the presence and severity of constipation in patients with SSc.

Cumulative disease damage and anti-PM/Scl antibodies are associated with a heavy burden of calcinosis in systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVES

Ectopic calcification (calcinosis) is a common complication of SSc, but a subset of SSc patients has a heavy burden of calcinosis. We examined whether there are unique risk factors for a heavy burden of calcinosis, as compared with a light burden or no calcinosis.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical records of all patients in the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center Research Registry with calcinosis to quantify calcinosis burden using pre-specified definitions. We performed latent class analysis to identify SSc phenotypic classes. We used multinomial logistic regression to determine whether latent phenotypic classes and autoantibodies were independent risk factors for calcinosis burden.

RESULTS

Of all patients, 29.4% (997/3388) had calcinosis, and 13.5% (130/963) of those with calcinosis had a heavy burden. The latent phenotypic class with predominantly diffuse skin disease and higher disease severity (characterized by pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, cardiomyopathy, severe RP, gastrointestinal involvement, renal crisis, myopathy and/or tendon friction rubs) was associated with an increased risk of both a heavy burden [odds ratio (OR) 6.92, 95% CI 3.66, 13.08; P < 0.001] and a light burden (OR 2.88, 95% CI 2.11, 3.95; P < 0.001) of calcinosis compared with the phenotypic class with predominantly limited skin disease. Autoantibodies to PM/Scl were strongly associated with a heavy burden of calcinosis (OR 17.31, 95% CI 7.72, 38.81; P < 0.001) and to a lesser degree a light burden of calcinosis (OR 3.59, 95% CI 1.84, 7.00; P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Calcinosis burden is associated with cumulative SSc-related tissue damage. Independent of disease severity, autoantibodies to PM/Scl are also associated with a heavy burden of calcinosis.

Slow Colonic Transit in Systemic Sclerosis: An Objective Assessment of Risk Factors and Clinical Phenotype

OBJECTIVE

Up to 50% of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) experience slow colonic transit, which may be associated with severe outcomes. Our objective, therefore, was to identify specific clinical features associated with slow colonic transit in SSc.

METHODS

SSc patients with gastrointestinal symptoms were prospectively enrolled and completed a scintigraphy-based whole gut transit study. Clinical features were compared between patients with and without slow colonic transit in univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Forty-eight of 100 patients (48%) in our cohort had slow colonic transit. In the univariate analyses, slow colonic transit was positively associated with female sex (odds ratio [OR] 12.61 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.56-101.90]), telangiectasia (OR 4.00 [95% CI 1.32-12.10]), anticentromere antibodies (OR 3.25 [95% CI 1.25-8.44]), prior or current smoking (OR 2.56 [95% CI 1.06-6.21]), and a Medsger gastrointestinal severity score of ≥3 (OR 3.94 [95% CI 1.16-13.36]). Patients were less likely to have significant restriction on pulmonary function tests (OR 0.23 [95% CI 0.09-0.63]). In our multivariable model, the association between slow colonic transit and telangiectasia (OR 3.97 [95% CI 1.20-13.20]) and less restrictive lung disease on pulmonary function tests (OR 0.28 [95% CI 0.09-0.86]) remained statistically significant, though a trend with smoking remained (OR 2.16 [95% CI 0.82-5.75]). Interestingly, there were no significant associations between slow colonic transit and delayed transit in other regions of the gastrointestinal tract.

CONCLUSION

Distinct clinical features are associated with slow colonic transit in SSc. Such features may provide insight in risk stratification and the study of disease mechanism in more homogeneous subgroups.

Diastolic Dysfunction in Systemic Sclerosis: Risk Factors and Impact on Mortality

OBJECTIVE

To determine the independent risk factors for diastolic dysfunction (DD) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to evaluate the impact of DD on mortality.

METHODS

SSc patients enrolled in the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center Cohort between November 1, 2006 and November 1, 2017 with ≥1 analyzable 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiogram in our system were included (n = 806). DD risk factors and SSc disease characteristics were prospectively obtained, and the presence or absence of DD was determined using the most recent 2-D echocardiogram. Logistic regression models examined associations between clinical risk factors and DD, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess survival.

RESULTS

DD was present in 18.6% of participants. The majority of participants were female (84%) with a median age of 58.4 years (interquartile range 48.8-68.1). Older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.12 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.09-1.15], P < 0.001), coronary artery disease (OR 3.69 [95% CI 1.52-8.97], P = 0.004), obesity (OR 4.74 [95% CI 2.57-8.74], P < 0.001), longer SSc disease duration (OR 1.04 [95% CI 1.01-1.06], P = 0.004), diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide ≤60% of predicted (OR 2.41 [95% CI 1.40-4.16], P = 0.002), and history of scleroderma renal crisis (OR 3.18 [95% CI 1.12-9.07], P = 0.031) were all independently associated with an increased risk of DD. Anti-Scl-70 positivity (OR 0.49 [95% CI 0.26-0.93], P = 0.03) and severe gastrointestinal disease (OR 0.48 [95% CI 0.30-0.79], P = 0.004) were associated with a reduced risk of DD. The presence of DD was independently associated with an increase in the risk of mortality (hazard ratio 1.69 [95% CI 1.07-2.68], P = 0.027).

CONCLUSION

DD is independently associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients with SSc. Potentially modifiable risk factors, including coronary artery disease and obesity, should be addressed in patients with SSc to reduce mortality risk.

Relationship Between Gastrointestinal Transit, Medsger Gastrointestinal Severity, and University of California-Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trial Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract 2.0 Symptoms in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated gastrointestinal (GI) complications are attributed to a variety of factors, including diet, microbiota dysbiosis, or GI transit abnormalities. Our objective was to examine the contribution of abnormal GI transit to SSc Medsger GI severity scores and/or University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trial Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract (UCLA GIT) 2.0 symptoms.

METHODS

Patients with SSc and GI symptoms (n = 71) and healthy controls (n = 18) underwent whole gut transit (WGT) scintigraphy to assess transit from the esophagus to the colon. The presence of delayed transit and percent emptying in each GI region were measured. We compared the WGT measurements between categories of the Medsger GI severity score (0-4) and across UCLA GIT 2.0 domains and total score (0-3).

RESULTS

A total of 88% of patients had >1 abnormal region of the gut on WGT scintigraphy. All patients requiring total parenteral nutrition had delayed small bowel transit, compared to only approximately 11% of patients in other Medsger GI severity groups (P ≤ 0.01). Severe colonic transit delays were more likely in patients with Medsger GI scores of 3 (pseudo-obstruction and/or malabsorption) compared to other Medsger GI groups (P = 0.02). Seventy-percent of these patients had ≤30% colonic emptying at 72 hours. Modest associations were noted between gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms and delayed esophageal (r = -0.31, P = 0.05) and gastric emptying (r = -0.32, P = 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These data are important in providing evidence that SSc bowel disease affects transit of GI content and that delay in transit accounts in part for both bowel symptoms and Medsger GI severity. Prospective studies examining the benefit of early therapeutic intervention targeting GI transit abnormalities in patients at high risk for severe GI complications are needed.

Assessment of right ventricular reserve utilizing exercise provocation in systemic sclerosis

Right ventricular (RV) capacity to adapt to increased afterload is the main determinant of outcome in pulmonary hypertension, a common morbidity seen in systemic sclerosis (SSc). We hypothesized that supine bicycle echocardiography (SBE), coupled with RV longitudinal systolic strain (RVLSS), improves detection of limitations in RV reserve in SSc. 56 SSc patients were prospectively studied during SBE with RV functional parameters compared at rest and peak stress. We further dichotomized patients based on resting RV systolic pressure (RVSP) to determine the effects of load on contractile response. Our pooled cohort analysis revealed reduced global RVLSS at rest (-16.2 ± 3.9%) with normal basal contractility (-25.6 ± 7.7%) and relative hypokinesis of the midventricular (-14.1 ± 6.0%) and apical (-8.9 ± 5.1%) segments. With exercise, global RVLSS increased significantly (p = 0.0005), however despite normal basal contractility at rest, there was no further augmentation with exercise. Mid and apical RVLSS increased with exercise suggestive of RV contractile reserve. In patients with resting RVSP < 35 mmHg, global and segmental RVLSS increased with exercise. In patients with resting RVSP ≥ 35 mmHg, global and segmental RVLSS did not increase with exercise and there was evidence of exertional RV dilation. Exercise provocation in conjunction with RVLSS identified differential regional contractile response to exercise in SSc patients. We further demonstrate the effect of increased loading conditions on RV contractile response exercise. These findings suggest subclinical impairments in RV reserve in SSc that may be missed by resting noninvasive 2DE-based assessments alone.

Linaclotide for the treatment of refractory lower bowel manifestations of systemic sclerosis

Background

Lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement can affect up to 50% of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients, and may result in malabsorption, pseudo-obstruction, hospitalization, and death. We report our experience with linaclotide, a selective agonist of guanylate cyclase C (GC-C), for SSc patients with refractory lower GI disease.

Methods

We performed an analysis of patients seen at the Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center and identified patients prescribed linaclotide for refractory lower GI manifestations. Patients had clinical data collected in our longitudinal database. Linaclotide responders were on medication for at least 12 months with documented effectiveness by the treating physician.

Results

Thirty-one patients with SSc were treated with linaclotide. At the time of linaclotide initiation, 23 of these patients (74%) were classified as having severe GI disease, as defined by recurrent pseudo-obstruction, malabsorption, and/or need for artificial nutrition (Medsger GI severity score ≥ 3). The majority of patients (90.3%; 28/31) had a treatment response, while only three patients (9.7%) reported ineffectiveness or intolerable side effects. Low-dose linaclotide (≤ 145 mcg daily) was used in 18 patients and was effective in 94%. High-dose therapy (> 145 mcg daily) was effective in 11 of 13 patients (85%). Common side effects were diarrhea, cramping, or bloating (11/31, 35%). Ineffectiveness, cost, and abdominal pain were complaints cited among those who discontinued therapy.

Conclusion

Linaclotide is a well-tolerated and efficacious pro-secretory and pro-motility agent that can be used to manage refractory lower GI manifestations in SSc. We found that low-dose linaclotide is an effective option and may be better tolerated, though a subset of patients may require high dose regimens.

Exercise right ventricular ejection fraction predicts right ventricular contractile reserve

BACKGROUND

Right ventricular (RV) contractile reserve shows promise as an indicator of occult RV dysfunction in pulmonary vascular disease. We investigated which measure of RV contractile reserve during exercise best predicts occult RV dysfunction and clinical outcomes.

METHODS

We prospectively studied RV contractile reserve in 35 human subjects referred for right heart catheterization for known or suspected pulmonary hypertension. All underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, echocardiography, and supine invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing with concomitant RV pressure-volume catheterization. Event-free survival was prospectively adjudicated from time of right heart catheterization for a 4-year follow-up period.

RESULTS

RV contractile reserve during exercise, as measured by a positive change in end-systolic elastance (Ees) during exertion, was associated with elevation in pulmonary pressures but preservation of RV volumes. Lack of RV reserve, on the other hand, was tightly coupled with acute RV dilation during exertion (R² = 0.76, p< 0.001). RV Ees and dilation changes each predicted resting RV-PA dysfunction. RV ejection fraction during exercise, which captured exertional changes in both RV Ees and RV dilation, proved to be a robust surrogate for RV contractile reserve. Reduced exercise RV ejection fraction best predicted occult RV dysfunction among a variety of resting and exercise RV measures, and was also associated with clinical worsening.

CONCLUSIONS

RV ejection fraction during exercise, as an index of RV contractile reserve, allows for excellent identification of occult RV dysfunction, more so than resting measures of RV function, and may predict clinical outcomes as well.

Essential Hypertension Worsens Left Ventricular Contractility in Systemic Sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

Primary cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is prevalent and morbid; however, the influence of traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, such as essential hypertension (HTN), are unclear. In the present study, we sought to understand the effects of HTN on left ventricular (LV) contractility in patients with SSc using echocardiographic speckle-derived global longitudinal strain (GLS).

METHODS

Fifty-six SSc patients with HTN (SSc+HTN+) and 82 SSc patients without HTN (SSc+ HTN-) were compared with 40 non-SSc controls with HTN (SSc-HTN+) and 40 non-SSc controls without HTN (SSc-HTN-), matched by age and sex. All HTN patients were on stable antihypertensive therapies. Echocardiographic measures included LV (LV) ejection fraction (LVEF), left atrial volume index (LAVI), and LV diastolic function. LV contractility was assessed by GLS, averaged across the 18 LV segments.

RESULTS

Patients with SSc had diminished GLS regardless of HTN status when compared to both control groups, despite normal LVEF (P < 0.001). SSc+HTN+ had the highest prevalence of diastolic dysfunction, with significantly higher septal E/e´, a marker of LV filling pressures (P < 0.05), as well as the largest reduction in GLS compared to SSc+HTN- and both control groups.

CONCLUSION

Speckle-derived strain revealed diminished LV contractility in patients with SSc, despite normal LVEF. SSc+HTN+ had more prominent reductions in GLS associated with evidence of LV remodeling and worsened diastolic function. Our findings demonstrate the presence of subclinical LV contractile dysfunction in SSc that is further exacerbated by concomitant HTN, thereby identifying HTN as an important modifiable CV risk factor that should be managed aggressively in this at-risk population.

Longitudinal assessment of interstitial lung disease in single lung transplant recipients with scleroderma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the natural history of fibrotic lung disease in recipients of a single lung transplant for scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD).

METHODS

Global ILD (including ground glass, nodular opacities and fibrosis) was categorized into severity quintiles on first and last post-transplant CT scans, and percent fibrosis by manual contouring was also determined, in nine single lung transplant recipients. Quantitative mean lung densities and volumes for the native and allograft lungs were also acquired.

RESULTS

In the native lung, global ILD severity quintile worsened in two cases and percent fibrosis worsened in four cases (range 5-28%). In the lung allograft, one case each developed mild, moderate and severe ILD; of these, new fibrotic ILD (involving <10% of lung) occurred in two cases and acute cellular rejection occurred in one. The average change in native lung density over time was +2.2 Hounsfield Units per year and lung volume +1.4 ml per year, whereas the allograft lung density changed by -5.5 Hounsfield Units per year and total volume +27 ml per year (P = 0.011 and P = 0.039 for native vs allograft density and volume comparisons, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

While the course of ILD in the native and transplanted lungs varied in this series, these cases illustrate that disease progression is common in the native lung, suggesting that either the immune process continues to target autoantigens or ongoing fibrotic pathways are active in the native lung. Mild lung disease may occur in the allograft after several years due to either allograft rejection or recurrent mild ILD.

Definition of Naturally Processed Peptides Reveals Convergent Presentation of Autoantigenic Topoisomerase I Epitopes in Scleroderma

OBJECTIVE

Autoimmune responses to DNA topoisomerase I (topo I) are found in a subset of scleroderma patients who are at high risk for interstitial lung disease (ILD) and mortality. Anti-topo I antibodies (ATAs) are associated with specific HLA-DRB1 alleles, and the frequency of HLA-DR-restricted topo I-specific CD4+ T cells is associated with the presence, severity, and progression of ILD. Although this strongly implicates the presentation of topo I peptides by HLA-DR in scleroderma pathogenesis, the processing and presentation of topo I has not been studied.

METHODS

We developed a natural antigen processing assay (NAPA) to identify putative CD4+ T cell epitopes of topo I presented by monocyte-derived dendritic cells (mo-DCs) from 6 ATA-positive patients with scleroderma. Mo-DCs were pulsed with topo I protein, HLA-DR-peptide complexes were isolated, and eluted peptides were analyzed by mass spectrometry. We then examined the ability of these naturally presented peptides to induce CD4+ T cell activation in 11 ATA-positive and 11 ATA-negative scleroderma patients.

RESULTS

We found that a common set of 10 topo I epitopes was presented by Mo-DCs from scleroderma patients with diverse HLA-DR variants. Sequence analysis revealed shared peptide-binding motifs within the HLA-DRβ chains of ATA-positive patients and a subset of topo I epitopes with distinct sets of anchor residues capable of binding to multiple different HLA-DR variants. The NAPA-derived epitopes elicited robust CD4+ T cell responses in 73% of ATA-positive patients (8 of 11), and the number of epitopes recognized correlated with ILD severity (P = 0.025).

CONCLUSION

These findings mechanistically implicate the presentation of a convergent set of topo I epitopes in the development of scleroderma.

The Utility of Plasma Vascular Biomarkers in Systemic Sclerosis: A Prospective Longitudinal Analysis

OBJECTIVE

In cross-sectional studies, pulmonary hypertension (PH) and ischemic digital lesions are 2 scleroderma vascular outcomes associated with abnormalities in biomarkers of angiogenesis. The clinical usefulness of these biomarkers is unknown, in part due to lack of data on longitudinal measurement. This prospective longitudinal study was undertaken to evaluate vascular biomarker measurements in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) over time.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of 300 patients with SSc who were followed up for at least a 5-year period and lacked evidence of PH and/or active ischemic digital lesions at enrollment. Levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1), soluble endoglin, endostatin, and placental growth factor (PLGF) were obtained at multiple time points and assessed for their ability to predict the development of PH/ischemic digital lesions. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated.

RESULTS

Forty-six patients (15%) developed PH and 69 patients (23%) developed an ischemic digital lesion. In time-to-event analyses, the following 3 biomarkers measured at cohort entry were found to be significantly associated with the development of PH: HGF (HR 1.99 [95% CI 1.24-3.17], P = 0.004), sFlt-1 (HR 3.04 [95% CI 1.29-7.14], P = 0.011), and PLGF (HR 2.74 [95% CI 1.32-5.69], P = 0.007). As time approaching PH diagnosis decreased, there was no corresponding increase in any biomarker level. Upon converting each continuous vascular biomarker into a binary variable, a dose-response relationship was observed for the number of elevated biomarkers at cohort entry and the risk of developing PH. With each additional elevated biomarker at cohort entry, there was a 78% increase in the risk of developing PH (HR 1.78 [95% CI 1.2-2.6], P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that molecules involved in angiogenesis reflect vascular perturbation, and that elevations in these biomarkers at first encounter can indicate patients who are at risk of PH development.

Clinical and Molecular Phenotyping in Scleromyxedema Pretreatment and Posttreatment With Intravenous Immunoglobulin

OBJECTIVE

Scleromyxedema (SMX) is a rare systemic sclerosis mimic that often responds to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy, yet the resulting clinical and biochemical changes have not been well characterized. To better understand the pathogenesis of the disease and the efficacy of IVIG, we sought to explore whether IVIG would introduce a measurable biologic effect corresponding with clinical improvement.

METHODS

Fifteen patients with SMX were recruited for the study. Clinical information and peripheral blood mononuclear cells for flow cytometry were obtained immediately before and again 1-2 weeks after patients received IVIG therapy. Ten patients also underwent skin biopsies for gene expression analysis both before and after IVIG therapy. Clinical data included measures of skin involvement (modification of the modified Rodnan skin thickness score [MMRSS] and percentage of body surface area) and several patient-reported outcome measures assessing patients' skin.

RESULTS

Posttreatment, the average MMRSS score decreased from mean ± SD 13.6 ± 2.6 to 10.3 ± 1.9; P = 0.003. There were also significant improvements in skin flexibility (mean ± SD 5.4 ± 0.8 to 3.2 ± 0.7; P = 0.003) and softening (mean ± SD 4.9 ± 0.9 to 2.6 ± 0.6; P = 0.022). Baseline levels of Tc17 cells (CD8+CCR6+CXCR3+CCR4-) correlated with the extent of skin involvement as measured by MMRSS pretreatment (r = 0.69, P = 0.012) and decreased after IVIG therapy (mean ± SD 3.4% ± 3.2% to 1.3% ± 1.7%; P = 0.008). Posttreatment analysis of RNA in skin tissue revealed a decrease in gene expression of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) cytokines as well as several interferon-inducible proteins.

CONCLUSION

This open-label study further supports the evidence that patients with SMX respond both objectively and subjectively to IVIG therapy. Biologic studies suggest a role for T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of the disease and reveal the potential significance of TGFβ and interferon pathways.

Vascular biomarkers and digital ulcerations in systemic sclerosis: results from a randomized controlled trial of oral treprostinil (DISTOL-1)

INTRODUCTION

Although there is abundant evidence of vascular perturbation from studies of peripheral blood in systemic sclerosis (SSc), there are few data about the ability to use biomarkers of vascular injury and growth factors to predict vascular outcomes and response to therapy. We sought to explore the association between candidate vascular biomarkers and digital ulcerations (DU) in a clinical trial context.

METHODS

We examined 19 circulating vascular, angiogenic, and inflammatory biomarkers in 124 patients with scleroderma and DU who participated in a randomized controlled trial of oral treprostinil diolamine (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00775463). Correlation, regression, and random forest analyses were conducted to assess biomarker relationships in response to drug treatment.

RESULTS

Over the 20-week trial, 82 (66%) patients had their cardinal ulcer completely heal, 54 (44%) developed new ulcers, and 72 (58%) had complete healing of all ulcers; mean change in ulcer burden comparing week 20 with baseline was - 0.36 ± 1.70. Nineteen biomarkers were analyzed for their association and ability to predict clinical DU outcomes. After adjusting for multiple comparisons, no individual biomarker (baseline level, week 20 level, or change over time) was significantly associated with any of the clinical outcomes, suggesting that traditional vascular, angiogenic or inflammatory drivers are not predictive of ulcer fate.

CONCLUSIONS

The lack of strong response to any of the vascular, angiogenic, or inflammatory markers suggest that these pathways are not primary drivers in the development of DU clinical outcomes in a SSc population with prevalent DU.

KEY POINTS

• Currently we lack robust biomarkers to predict vascular outcomes or response to therapy in scleroderma patients with Raynaud's phenomenon.• Longitudinal assessment of vascular biomarkers in a clinical trial setting provides a unique opportunity to define biomarkers that predict vascular outcomes.• In a randomized controlled trial of oral treprostinil diolamine for treatment of scleroderma-associated digital ulcers, biomarkers involved in several vascular, inflammatory, and angiogenic pathways did not predict short-term clinical response to therapy or digital ulcer outcomes.• Further study of these and other biomarkers should be considered in Raynaud's clinical trials in scleroderma patients without prevalent digital ulcers.

Raynaud's phenomenon

Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) is common, affecting approximately 5% of the population, and is important to the rheumatologist because it is often the presenting symptom of connective tissue disease, especially of systemic sclerosis (SSc)-spectrum disorders. RP therefore provides a window of opportunity for early diagnosis. When RP is associated with SSc it is particularly challenging to treat. This review begins with a discussion of some of the recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of RP: it is through increased understanding of the complex pathophysiology of RP that we are most likely to develop new therapies. The following questions are then addressed (with three clinical scenarios demonstrating key principles of assessment and management): 1. How can we predict underlying connective tissue disease in the patient presenting with Raynaud's? 2. How can we measure severity of Raynaud's? 3. What are the latest advances in treatment of connective tissue disease-related digital vasculopathy?