Effect of Disease Activity, Glucocorticoid Exposure, and Rituximab on Body Composition During Induction Treatment of Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis

Association between kinetic of Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA), renal survival and relapse risk in ANCA-glomerulonephritis

BACKGROUND

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) kinetic in ANCA-associated vasculitis with glomerulonephritis (AAV-GN) has been suggested to be associated with AAV relapse. Few studies focused on its association with renal prognosis. Thus, we aimed to investigate the relationship between i) ANCA specificity and evolutive profile, and ii) renal outcomes.

METHODS

This multicentric retrospective study included patients diagnosed with ANCA-GN since 01/01/2000. Patients without ANCA at diagnosis and with fewer than 3 ANCA determinations during follow-up were excluded. We analyzed eGFR variation, renal-free and relapse-free survival according to three ANCA profiles (negative, recurrent, persistent) and to ANCA specificity (MPO or PR3).

RESULTS

Over a follow-up of 56 [34-101] months, a median of 19 [13-25] ANCA determinations were performed for the 134 included patients. Patients with a recurrent/persistent ANCA profile had a lower relapse-free (p = 0.019) survival and tended to have a lower renal survival (p = 0.053) compared to those with negative ANCA profile. Patients with a recurrent/persistent MPO-ANCA profile had the shortest renal survival (p = 0.015) and those with recurrent/persistent PR3-ANCA profile had the worst relapse-free survival (p = 0.013) compared to other profiles. The negative ANCA profile was associated with a greater eGFR recovery. In multivariate regression analysis, it was an independent predictor of a two-fold increase of eGFR at 2-year (OR = 6.79, 95% CI [1.78, 31.4], p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

ANCA kinetic after ANCA-GN diagnosis is associated with outcomes. MPO-ANCA recurrence/persistence identifies patients with a lower potential of renal recovery and a higher risk of kidney failure, while PR3-ANCA recurrence/persistence identifies patients with a greater relapse risk. Thus, ANCA kinetic may help identify patients with a smoldering disease.

The Effects of Treatment on Body Mass Index in Giant Cell Arteritis: A Post Hoc Analysis of the GiACTA Trial

Introduction

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) requires treatment with high-dose, long-term glucocorticoids (GCs), and tocilizumab is often used early in the treatment paradigm. Weight gain, which is associated with morbidity and mortality, is a major concern for patients, though the factors that contribute to changes in body mass index (BMI) throughout the treatment of GCA are poorly understood.

Methods

We analyzed GCA patients enrolled in the GiACTA (Tocilizumab in Giant Cell Arteritis) trial. We used univariable and multivariable mixed-effects modeling to examine the association between changes in BMI and cumulative GC dose, disease status at baseline (newly diagnosed versus relapsing), randomization to tocilizumab, and disease flares.

Results

A total of 250 patients were included (75% females, mean age 69 years). The mean ± SD BMI change over 52 weeks was 1.18 ± 1.98 kg/m². On multivariable analysis, cumulative prednisone dose at 52 weeks was independently associated with BMI increase (β = 0.94 kg/m² for 0–1 g exposure; β = 1.40 kg/m² for ≥ 4 g exposure; p for trend < 0.001). Relapsing disease at baseline (β = − 0.42 kg/m² compared to those with newly diagnosed disease; p = 0.002) and flares over 52 weeks in newly diagnosed patients (β = − 0.18 kg/m² per flare; p = 0.03) were independently associated with lower BMI increase.

Conclusions

Cumulative prednisone exposure is associated with increased BMI in GCA patients. In those with newly diagnosed disease, effective disease control regardless of the treatment used also contributes to BMI increase. Modest weight gain may be an indicator of adequate treatment response.

The Effect of TNF and Non-TNF-Targeted Biologics on Body Composition in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a decrease in lean mass and stability or even an increase in fat and ectopic adipose tissue. A few data are available on body composition changes under treatment, and data are still controversial. Body composition was assessed before initiation of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (bDMARD) and after 6 and 12 months of stable treatment. Eighty-three RA patients were included (75% of women, mean age 58.5 ± 10.8 years) of whom 47 patients treated with TNF inhibitor (TNFi), 18 with non-TNF-targeted biologic (Non-TNFi), and 18 with conventional DMARD (cDMARD) alone. In the TNFi group, total lean mass, fat-free mass index, and skeletal muscle mass index significantly increased at 1 year. An increase in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) without change for the visceral or body fat composition was associated. These changes were associated with an improvement in strength and walking test. In non-TNFi or cDMARD groups, no significant changes for body composition or muscle function were observed at 1 year. However, no significant differences for treatment x time interaction were noted between group treatments. In active RA patients starting first bDMARD, treatment with TNFi over 1 year was associated with favorable changes of the body composition and muscle function.

Recent advances in the diagnosis and management of giant cell arteritis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) has classically been diagnosed by temporal artery biopsy and treated with high-dose, long-term glucocorticoid therapy. Noninvasive imaging increasingly is employed for diagnostic purposes, but further studies are needed to determine the role of imaging in monitoring longitudinal disease activity. Glucocorticoid-sparing therapy mitigates the numerous adverse effects of glucocorticoids. This review addresses new developments in these areas.

RECENT FINDINGS

For diagnosis, when performed at a center with expertise in its use, temporal artery ultrasound has an estimated sensitivity and specificity of 78 and 79%, respectively. State-of-the-art time-of-flight positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has an estimated sensitivity and specificity of 71 and 91%, respectively. The sensitivities of both imaging modalities decrease following glucocorticoid administration. Tocilizumab is an effective glucocorticoid-sparing therapy, demonstrating sustained glucocorticoid-free remission in 56% of patients receiving weekly tocilizumab compared with 18% of patients receiving a 52-week prednisone taper. The traditional acute phase reactants are of no value in patients treated with interleukin-6 receptor (IL6-R) blockade, and thus, the development of new biomarkers is an important priority in the field.

SUMMARY

Noninvasive imaging techniques are increasingly used in the absence of temporal artery biopsy to confirm diagnostic suspicions of GCA. Tocilizumab reduces the cumulative glucocorticoid exposure and increases the rate of sustained remission. Ongoing efforts are directed towards new methods to identify disease flares.

Visceral adipose tissue in granulomatosis with polyangiitis: association with disease activity parameters

OBJECTIVE

To assess the body composition (BC) of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) compared to healthy controls, emphasizing visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and associated BC parameters with disease activity, the damage index, and inflammatory parameters in patients with GPA.

METHODS

This study was conducted in 43 patients with GPA and 43 healthy controls matched by sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). BC was analyzed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The fat mass parameters evaluated were total fat mass (FM), adiposity (%), the fat mass index (FMI: fat mass/ht²), and VAT (g, cm², cm³). Disease activity was assessed by the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS). Damage was assessed by the Vasculitis Damage Index (VDI). C-reactive protein (CRP) and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured.

RESULTS

Comparing patients with GPA with healthy controls, patients had a significantly greater VAT (VAT in g: 685.81 ± 306.10 vs. 581.21 ± 235.57, p = 0.04; VAT in cm²: 142.23 ± 63.48 vs. 119.84 ± 49.54, p = 0.03; VAT in cm³: 741.33 ± 330.97 vs. 628.44 ± 254.66, p = 0.04). Patients with higher VAT (≥ 768 g) had an increased value of ESR (22.77 ± 26.79 vs. 11.57 ± 11.30 mm/1st hour, p = 0.04) and an increased value of BVAS (3.18 ± 4.15 vs. 0.90 ± 1.70, p = 0.01) when compared to patients with less VAT (< 768 g).

CONCLUSION

Patients with GPA have altered BC compared to healthy controls. Moreover, higher VAT was associated with disease activity and higher inflammatory markers, suggesting a relationship between GPA activity and adiposity parameters. Key points • Granulomatosis with polyangiitis patients have increased visceral adipose tissue when compared to health controls; • Granulomatosis with polyangiitis patients with higher values of visceral adipose tissue have worse disease activity and higher inflammatory markers; • This paper represents important contribution to the well-studied association between vasculitis and inflammatory markers, adding the role of adipose visceral tissue in the disease physiopathology.

The Interrelations between Biological and Targeted Synthetic Agents Used in Inflammatory Joint Diseases, and Obesity or Body Composition

Obesity is a comorbidity that plays a role in the development and severity of inflammatory joint diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. The relationships between obesity and adipose tissue and the treatments given for inflammatory joint diseases are bidirectional. In fact, biological agents (bDMARDs) and targeted synthetic agents (tsDMARDs) may influence body weight and body composition of treated patients, while obesity in turn may influence clinical response to these agents. Obesity is a prevalent comorbidity mainly affecting patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with specific phenotypes. Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitors have been associated with changes in body composition by improving lean mass, but also by significantly increasing fat mass, which localized toward the abdominal/visceral region. The IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab is associated with an increase in lean mass without change in fat mass. The clinical response to TNFα inhibitors is attenuated by obesity, an effect that is less pronounced with IL-6 inhibitors and the B-cell depletion agent rituximab. Conversely, body weight has no influence on the response to the costimulation inhibitor abatacept. These effects may be of help to the physician in personalized medicine, and may guide the therapeutic choice in obese/overweight patients.

Interventions for renal vasculitis in adults

BACKGROUND

Renal vasculitis presents as rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and comprises of a group of conditions characterised by acute kidney injury (AKI), haematuria and proteinuria. Treatment of these conditions involve the use of steroid and non-steroid agents in combination with plasma exchange. Although immunosuppression overall has been very successful in treatment of these conditions, many questions remain unanswered in terms of dose and duration of therapy, the use of plasma exchange and the role of new therapies. This 2019 publication is an update of a review first published in 2008 and updated in 2015.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the benefits and harms of any intervention used for the treatment of renal vasculitis in adults.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Register of Studies up to 21 November 2019 through contact with the Information Specialist using search terms relevant to this review. Studies in the Register are identified through searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE, conference proceedings, the International Clinical Trials Register (ICTRP) Search Portal and ClinicalTrials.gov.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials investigating any intervention for the treatment of renal vasculitis in adults.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently assessed study quality and extracted data. Statistical analyses were performed using a random effects model and results expressed as risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous outcomes or mean difference (MD) for continuous outcomes.

MAIN RESULTS

Forty studies (3764 patients) were included. Studies conducted earlier tended to have a higher risk of bias due to poor (or poorly reported) study design, broad inclusion criteria, less well developed disease definitions and low patient numbers. Later studies tend to have improved in all areas of quality, aided by the development of large international study groups. Induction therapy: Plasma exchange as adjunctive therapy may reduce the need for dialysis at three (2 studies: RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.78; I² = 0%) and 12 months (6 studies: RR 0.45, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.72; I² = 0%) (low certainty evidence). Plasma exchange may make little or no difference to death, serum creatinine (SCr), sustained remission or to serious or the total number of adverse events. Plasma exchange may increase the number of serious infections (5 studies: RR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.54; I² = 0%; low certainty evidence). Remission rates for pulse versus continuous cyclophosphamide (CPA) were equivalent but pulse treatment may increase the risk of relapse (4 studies: RR 1.79, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.87; I² = 0%) (low certainty evidence) compared with continuous cyclophosphamide. Pulse CPA may make little or no difference to death at final follow-up, or SCr at any time point. More patients required dialysis in the pulse CPA group. Leukopenia was less common with pulse treatment; however, nausea was more common. Rituximab compared to CPA probably makes little or no difference to death, remission, relapse, severe adverse events, serious infections, or severe adverse events. Kidney function and dialysis were not reported. A single study reported no difference in the number of deaths, need for dialysis, or adverse events between mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and CPA. Remission was reported to improve with MMF however more patients relapsed. A lower dose of steroids was probably as effective as high dose and may be safer, causing fewer infections; kidney function and relapse were not reported. There was little of no difference in death or remission between six and 12 pulses of CPA. There is low certainty evidence that there were less relapses with 12 pulses (2 studies: RR 1.57, 95% CI 0.96 to 2.56; I² = 0%), but more infections (2 studies: RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.72; I² = 45%). One study reported severe adverse events were less in patients receiving six compared to 12 pulses of CPA. Kidney function and dialysis were not reported. There is limited evidence from single studies about the effectiveness of intravenous immunoglobulin, avacopan, methotrexate, immunoadsorption, lymphocytapheresis, or etanercept. Maintenance therapy: Azathioprine (AZA) has equivalent efficacy as a maintenance agent to CPA with fewer episodes of leucopenia. MMF resulted in a higher relapse rate when tested against azathioprine in remission maintenance. Rituximab is an effective remission induction and maintenance agent. Oral co-trimoxazole did not reduce relapses in granulomatosis with polyangiitis. There were fewer relapses but more serious adverse events with leflunomide compared to methotrexate. There is limited evidence from single studies about the effectiveness of methotrexate versus CPA or AZA, cyclosporin versus CPA, extended versus standard AZA, and belimumab.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Plasma exchange was effective in patients with severe AKI secondary to vasculitis. Pulse cyclophosphamide may result in an increased risk of relapse when compared to continuous oral use but a reduced total dose. Whilst CPA is standard induction treatment, rituximab and MMF were also effective. AZA, methotrexate and leflunomide were effective as maintenance therapy. Further studies are required to more clearly delineate the appropriate place of newer agents within an evidence-based therapeutic strategy.

Disease Activity, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody Type, and Lipid Levels in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis

OBJECTIVE

Patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) have an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study was undertaken to develop a clearer understanding of the association between changes in disease activity and lipid levels in AAV, which may inform CVD risk stratification in this population.

METHODS

Lipid levels were assessed in stored serum samples (obtained at baseline and month 6) from the Rituximab for ANCA-Associated Vasculitis (RAVE) trial, which randomized patients to receive either rituximab or cyclophosphamide followed by azathioprine. Paired t-tests and multivariable linear regression were used to assess changes in lipid levels.

RESULTS

Of the 142 patients with serum samples available, the mean ± SD age was 52.3 ± 14.7 years, 72 (51%) were male, 95 (67%) were proteinase 3 (PR3)-ANCA positive, 72 (51%) had received a new diagnosis of AAV, and 75 (53%) were treated with rituximab. Several lipid levels increased between baseline and month 6, including total cholesterol (+12.4 mg/dl [95% confidence interval (95% CI) +7.1, +21.0]), low-density lipoprotein (+10.3 mg/dl [95% CI +6.1, +17.1]), and apolipoprotein B (+3.5 mg/dl [95% CI +1.0, +8.3]). These changes were observed among newly diagnosed and PR3-ANCA-positive patients but not among those with relapsing disease or myeloperoxidase-ANCA-positive patients. There was no difference in change in lipid levels between rituximab-treated patients and cyclophosphamide-treated patients. Changes in lipid levels correlated with changes in erythrocyte sedimentation rate but not with other inflammatory markers or glucocorticoid exposure.

CONCLUSION

Lipid levels increased during remission induction among patients with newly diagnosed AAV and those who were PR3-ANCA positive. Disease activity and ANCA type should be considered when assessing lipid profiles to stratify CVD risk in patients with AAV.

Pharmacokinetics of rituximab and clinical outcomes in patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis

Objectives

To study the determinants of the pharmacokinetics (PK) of rituximab (RTX) in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and its association with clinical outcomes.

Methods

This study included data from 89 patients from the RTX in AAV trial who received the full dose of RTX (four weekly infusions of 375 mg/m2). RTX was quantified at weeks 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24, and summarized by computing the trapezoidal area under the curve. We explored potential determinants of the PK-RTX, and analysed its association with clinical outcomes: achievement of remission at 6 months, duration of B-cell depletion and time to relapse in patients who achieved complete remission.

Results

RTX serum levels were significantly lower in males and in newly diagnosed patients, and negatively correlated with body surface area, baseline B-cell count and degree of disease activity. In multivariate analyses, the main determinants of PK-RTX were sex and new diagnosis. Patients reaching complete remission at month 6 had similar RTX levels compared with patients who did not reach complete remission. Patients with higher RTX levels generally experienced longer B-cell depletion than patients with lower levels, but RTX levels at the different time points and area under the curve were not associated with time to relapse.

Conclusion

Despite the body-surface-area-based dosing protocol, PK-RTX is highly variable among patients with AAV, its main determinants being sex and newly diagnosed disease. We did not observe any relevant association between PK-RTX and clinical outcomes. The monitoring of serum RTX levels does not seem clinically useful in AAV.