Cyclophosphamide vs rituximab for eradicating inhibitors in acquired hemophilia A: A randomized trial in 108 patients

BACKGROUND

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare autoimmune disorder due to autoantibodies against Factor VIII, with a high mortality risk. Treatments aim to control bleeding and eradicate antibodies by immunosuppression. International recommendations rely on registers and international expert panels.

METHODS

CREHA, an open-label randomized trial, compared the efficacy and safety of cyclophosphamide and rituximab in association with steroids in patients with newly diagnosed AHA. Participants were treated with 1 mg/kg prednisone daily and randomly assigned to receive either 1.5-2 mg/kg/day cyclophosphamide orally for 6 weeks, or 375 mg/m2 rituximab once weekly for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was complete remission over 18 months. Secondary endpoints included time to achieve complete remission, relapse occurrence, mortality, infections and bleeding, and severe adverse events.

RESULTS

Recruitment was interrupted because of new treatment recommendations after 108 patients included (58 cyclophosphamide, 50 rituximab). After 18 months, 39 cyclophosphamide patients (67.2 %) and 31 rituximab patients (62.0 %) were in complete remission (OR 1.26; 95 % CI, 0.57 to 2.78). In the poor prognosis group (FVIII < 1 IU/dL, inhibitor titer > 20 BU mL-1), significantly more remissions were observed with cyclophosphamide (22 patients, 78.6 %) than with rituximab (12 patients, 48.0 %; p = 0.02). Relapse rates, deaths, severe infections, and bleeding were similar in the 2 groups. In patients with severe infection, cumulative doses of steroids were significantly higher than in patients without infection (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Cyclophosphamide and rituximab showed similar efficacy and safety. As first line, cyclophosphamide seems preferable, especially in poor prognosis patients, as administered orally and less expensive.

FUNDING

French Ministry of Health.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov number: NCT01808911.

French national diagnostic and care protocol for Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute vasculitis with a particular tropism for the coronary arteries. KD mainly affects male children between 6 months and 5 years of age. The diagnosis is clinical, based on the international American Heart Association criteria. It should be systematically considered in children with a fever, either of 5 days or more, or of 3 days if all other criteria are present. It is important to note that most children present with marked irritability and may have digestive signs. Although the biological inflammatory response is not specific, it is of great value for the diagnosis. Because of the difficulty of recognising incomplete or atypical forms of KD, and the need for urgent treatment, the child should be referred to a paediatric hospital as soon as the diagnosis is suspected. In the event of signs of heart failure (pallor, tachycardia, polypnea, sweating, hepatomegaly, unstable blood pressure), medical transfer to an intensive care unit (ICU) is essential. The standard treatment is an infusion of IVIG combined with aspirin (before 10 days of fever, and for a minimum of 6 weeks), which reduces the risk of coronary aneurysms. In case of coronary involvement, antiplatelet therapy can be maintained for life. In case of a giant aneurysm, anticoagulant treatment is added to the antiplatelet agent. The prognosis of KD is generally good and most children recover without sequelae. The prognosis in children with initial coronary involvement depends on the progression of the cardiac anomalies, which are monitored during careful specialised cardiological follow-up.

[Hereditary angioedema and its new treatments: An update]

Hereditary angioedema, with or without deficient C1 inhibitor level or function, is a rare disease characterized by recurrent attacks of noninflammatory subcutaneous and/or submucosal edema. It may be life-threatening and substantially affects quality of life. Attacks may be spontaneous or induced, in a setting of emotional stress, by infections or physical trauma, in particular. As the key mediator is bradykinin, this angioedema does not respond to the usual treatments of mast cell-mediated angioedema (antihistamines, corticosteroids, adrenaline), which is much more frequent. Therapeutic management of hereditary angioedema first consists in treating severe attacks with a selective B2 bradykinin receptor antagonist or a C1 inhibitor concentrate. The latter or an attenuated androgen (danazol) can be used for short-term prophylaxis. Therapeutic solutions conventionally proposed for long-term prophylaxis (danazol, antifibrinolytics [tranexamic acid], C1 inhibitor concentrate) vary in efficacy and/or pose problems of safety or ease of use. Kallikrein inhibitors (subcutaneous lanadelumab, oral berotralstat) recently made available as disease-modifying treatment constitute an important advance in long-term prophylaxis of hereditary angioedema attacks. The advent of these new drugs is accompanied by a new ambition for patients: optimize control of the disease and thereby minimize its impact on quality of life.

AB0044 REDUCED PERIPHERAL BLOOD MYELOID CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH VEXAS SYNDROME

Background

Systemic inflammatory or dysimmune diseases (SIDDs) are encountered in up to a quarter of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Recently identified VEXAS (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome, associated with somatic mutations in UBA1, encompasses a range of severe inflammatory conditions along with hematologic abnormalities, including myelodysplasia. Only limited data are available on the pathophysiology of MDS-associated SIDDs, and especially about the role of different myeloid cell subsets.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to describe the phenotype of myeloid immune cells (dendritic cells and monocytes) in MDS patients with associated SIDDs, and to compare their distribution with MDS patients without SIDDs and controls.

Methods

Phenotype analysis by flow cytometry from PBMCs of 14 MDS patients with SIDDs, 23 MDS patients without SIDDs and 7 controls without MDS and SIDDs. Eight of the 14 MDS/SIDDs patients (57%) had a somatic UBA1 mutation.

Results

In this study analyzing peripheral blood myeloid immune cells in MDS patients with and without SIDDs, we observed a quantitative reduction of different DC and monocyte subsets in MDS/SIDDs patients, especially in patients with active SIDDs and above all in patients with newly described VEXAS syndrome.

Conclusion

Further functional studies are warranted to better understand the mechanisms and the consequences of the phenotypic modulations of immune myeloid cells in the pathophysiology of MDS-associated SIDDs, especially in VEXAS syndrome.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

AB0461 TRIPLE POSITIVE PROFILE IN ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME: PROGNOSIS, RELAPSE AND MANAGEMENT FROM A RETROSPECTIVE MULTICENTER STUDY

Background

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is defined by the development of vascular thrombosis, or pregnancy morbidity in the presence of persistent antiphospholipid antibodies (APL). Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) can be detected in primary APS patients without any clinical systemic autoimmune disease. The presence of ANA antibodies could confer a specific phenotype in primary APS.

Objectives

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is defined by the association of thromboembolic and/or obstetrical clinical manifestations and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (APL). Patients with all three APL are referred to as triple positive (TP). The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of the TP profile in a cohort of 204 patients.

Methods

Clinical and biologic data from 195 APS were retrospectively collected. ANA test was considered to be positive when titers were superior or egal to the 1/80 dilution. ANA-positive APS patients did not fulfilled SLE ACR/EULAR classification criteria

Results

204 patients were included in our study, 68 were TP and 136 were single or double positive (NTP). 122 patients (59.8%) had primary APS. 67 patients (32.8%) had obstetrical APS, with a higher rate among TP patients (45.6% versus 26.5%, P=0.010), and 170 patients (83.3%) had thrombotic APS, without difference between TP and NTP patients. TP patients had more placental complications than NTP patients (17.6% versus 2.9%, P=0.001) and more non-criteria events (48.5% versus 25.7%, P=0.002). 97 patients (47.5%) presented at least one relapse, and the relapse rate was significantly higher in TP patients than in NTP patients (63.2% versus 39.7%, P=0.002). Of the relapses, 30 were obstetric and 74 thrombotic, and the rate of obstetric relapses was significantly higher in TP patients. During follow-up, 21 patients (10.3%) died and this rate did not differ between the two groups.

In univariate analysis, TP patients (HR 1.77; 95% CI 1.17-2.68; P=0.007), venous APS (HR 1.74; 95% CI 1.13-2.69; P=0.013), a history of premature birth (HR 2.47; 95% CI 1.24-4.93; P=0.010), and curative anticoagulation (HR 4.91; 95% CI 1.55-15.5; P=0.007) are associated with the risk of relapse. The serological profile was also a factor in relapse: the presence of the anti-β2GP1 antibody (HR 1.70; 95% CI 1.09-2.64; P=0.018) and LA (HR 1.59; 95% CI 1.01-2.50; P=0.046). The non-criteria manifestations of APS are associated with a higher risk of relapse, although not statistically significant (HR 1.49; 95% CI 1.00-2.23; P=0.052).

In multivariate analysis, the TP profile remained associated with a risk of relapse (HR 1.63; 95% CI 1.04-2.55; P=0.031), as well as venous APS (HR 2.05; 95% CI 1.30-3.23; P=0.002), and the antecedent of premature delivery (HR 2.33; 95% CI 1.10-4.92; P=0.027). The risk factors associated with relapse in multivariate analysis are summarized in Figure 1.

Conclusion

The TP profile is associated with a higher risk of relapse and obstetrical complications.

Figure 1.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Angioedèmes et médecine d’urgence

Les angioedèmes (AE) sont un motif de recours fréquent aux urgences. Leur morbimortalité n’est pas négligeable compte tenu de l’atteinte fréquente des voies aériennes supérieures. On distingue les AE histaminiques et bradykiniques. Aux urgences, la démarche diagnostique et la conduite à tenir doit être systématique et standardisée afin de ne pas méconnaître un potentiel AE bradykinique. Les AE histaminiques, accompagnés dans la plupart des cas d’une urticaire superficielle, sont de loin les plus fréquents et sont associés parfois à une anaphylaxie, ce qui nécessite alors un traitement par adrénaline immédiat. Ils peuvent être allergiques (médiés par les IgE) et sont alors associés à une anaphylaxie ou non allergiques, et se traduisent cliniquement par une urticaire aiguë ou chronique associée à l’AE. Les AE bradykiniques, d’incidence plus rare, sont également pourvoyeurs de recours aux urgences et particulièrement les AE secondaires aux inhibiteurs de l’enzyme de conversion de l’angiotensine compte tenu de leur importante prescription et de leurs atteintes cliniques de la face, de la langue et du larynx, elles-mêmes pourvoyeuses de recours aux urgences. Les traitements spécifiques d’urgence comprennent principalement l’icatibant et le concentré de C1-inhibiteur. Ils doivent être administrés le plus tôt possible devant l’inefficacité des traitements antiallergiques. Un avis auprès d’un expert du centre de référence pour les AE à kinines peut améliorer les prises en charge en aidant à la démarche diagnostique et en organisant la mise à disposition des traitements spécifiques d’urgence.

Why are people still dying of drug-susceptible TB in Paris in the 21st century?

BACKGROUND: Although the burden of TB is lower in France than in low-income countries, patients continue to die from TB in Paris. Our goal was to describe TB-related deaths and to identify associated risk factors.METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in two hospitals in Paris between 2013 and 2018. All patients with drug-susceptible TB were included and followed until end of treatment. The primary outcome was death. We performed univariate and multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard model.RESULTS: Of the 523 patients included, 362 were men (median age 37 years), of whom 24 patients died (4.5%). The final survival model concluded that age (HR 1.1 for each additional year), not living in one´s own accommodation (HR 5.9), being born in France (HR 8.0), being alcoholic (HR 4.2), having a history of cancer (HR 7.1) or meningeal or miliary TB (HR 8.2) were associated with a higher risk of death.CONCLUSION: The rate of TB-associated death is unacceptably high for a curable disease. To note, patients born in France were much more at risk of death than immigrants. We believe raising awareness among healthcare professionals is a potentially easy and efficient lever for improving care.

Further characterization of clinical and laboratory features occurring in VEXAS syndrome in a large-scale analysis of multicenter case-series of 116 French patients

BACKGROUND

A new autoinflammatory syndrome related to somatic mutations of UBA1 was recently described and called VEXAS syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To describe clinical characteristics, laboratory findings and outcomes of VEXAS syndrome.

DESIGN

Case-series.

SETTING

Patients referred to a French multicenter registry between November 2020 and May 2021.

PATIENTS

116 patients with VEXAS syndrome.

MEASUREMENTS

Frequency and median of parameters and vital status, from diagnosis to the end of the follow-up.

RESULTS

Main clinical features were skin lesions (83.5%), non-infectious fever (63.6%), weight loss (62%), lung involvement (49.6%), ocular symptoms (38.8%), relapsing chondritis (36.4%), venous thrombosis (34.7%), lymph nodes (33.9%), and arthralgia (27.3%). Hematological disease was present in 58 cases (50%), considered as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, n= 58) and monoclonal gammapathy of unknown significance (n=12).UBA1 mutations included p.M41T (44.8%), p.M41V (30.2%), p.M41L (18.1%), and splice mutations (6.9%). After a median follow-up of 3.0 years, 18 patients died (15.5%), from infectious origin (n=9) and MDS progression (n=3). Unsupervised analysis identified 3 clusters: cluster 1 (47%) with mild-to-moderate disease; cluster 2 (16%) with underlying MDS and higher mortality rates; cluster 3 (37%) with constitutional manifestations, higher C-reactive protein levels and less frequent chondritis. Five-year probability of survival was 84.2% in cluster 1, 50.5 % in cluster 2, and 89.6% in cluster 3. UBA1 p.Met41Leu mutation was associated with a better prognosis.

CONCLUSION

VEXAS syndrome displays a large spectrum of organ manifestations and shows different clinical and prognostic profiles. It also raises a potential impact of the identified UBA1 mutation.

OP0068 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF TNF-Α ANTAGONISTS AND TOCILIZUMAB IN TAKAYASU ARTERITIS: MULTICENTER WORLDWIDE RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 209 PATIENTS

Background:

In this large worldwide TAK registry, we report 209 patients treated with TNF-α antagonists and tocilizumab aiming to compare their safety and efficacy, and determine the predictive factors of treatment response and relapse.

Objectives:

To assess safety and efficacy of TNF-α antagonists and tocilizumab in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective multicenter study in referral centers from France, Italy, Spain, Israel, Japan, Tunisia and Russia about biological-targeted therapies in TAK during the period from January 2017 to September 2019 for the data collection.

Results:

Two-hundred nine patients with TAK [median age of 29 years [7-62], and 186 (89%) females] were included. They received either TNF-α antagonists [n=132 (63%) with 172 lines; infliximab (n=109), adalimumab (n=45), golimumab (n=8), certolizumab (n=6) and etanercept (n=5)], or tocilizumab [n=77 (37%) with 121 lines; intravenous and subcutaneous in 95 and 26 cases, respectively]. A complete response at 6 months was evidenced in 101/152 (66%) on TNF-α antagonists and 75/107 (70%) on tocilizumab, respectively. Age ≥ 30 years [OR= 2.09 [1.09; 3.99]] was associated with complete response, whereas vascular signs [0.26 [0.1;0.65]], baseline prednisone ≥ 20 mg/day [0.51 [0.28;0.93]] were negatively associated with the complete response to TNF-α antagonists or tocilizumab. During a median follow-up of 36 months, 103 relapses were noted. Supra-aortic branches and thoracic aorta involvements [HR 2.44 (1.06;5.65) and 3.66 (1.18;11.4), respectively], and systemic signs at baseline [HR 2.01 (1.30;3.11)] were significantly associated with relapse. The cumulative incidence of treatment discontinuation and relapse were similar in TNFα antagonists and tocilizumab. Fifty-eight (20%) adverse effects occurred on biological-targeted therapies of whom 37 (21%) and 21 (17%), (p=0.4) on TNF-α antagonists and tocilizumab, respectively

Conclusion:

This large multicenter study shows high efficacy of biological-targeted treatments in refractory TAK. Efficacy, relapse and drug retention rate were equivalent with TNF-α antagonists and tocilizumab.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared