Management of hepatitis B and C infections in rheumatologic disease

Biologic drugs in the treatment of polyarteritis nodosa and deficit of adenosine deaminase 2: A narrative review

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a medium vessels vasculitis variously involving different organs and systems, sometimes with an aggressive course, leading to death or disability in a significant number of cases. First-line treatment usually relies on steroids and classical immunosuppressants, but a growing number of case reports and small case series shows the potential role of biologic drugs, mostly anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents, in inducing and maintaining remission in patients affected by PAN. Similarly, the recently described autoinflammatory disease named deficit of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2), considered by several experts as a more precocious and aggressive variant of PAN, seems to respond to a prompt treatment with TNF-α inhibitors. The aim of this review is to collect all existing evidences about the use of biologic drugs in PAN and DADA2. Fifty-one articles published during the last 15 years were retrieved, including 58 and 76 patients affected by PAN and DADA2, respectively, and treated with biologic drugs. The majority of subjects was treated with TNF-α inhibitors, whose effectiveness was reported in the treatment of such difficult-to-manage diseases, particularly in DADA2. Among the other biologic drugs, Tocilizumab was successfully employed in some subjects affected by PAN who did not respond to TNF-α inhibitors, while Rituximab did not give substantial benefits neither in PAN nor in DADA2. Only few data exist about the role of Janus-kinase inhibitors and anti-IL1 agents. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of biologic agents in both PAN and DADA2, with encouraging results especially in the context of TNF-α inhibitors. Nevertheless, due to the lack of prospective, randomized, case control studies, further efforts should be made in order to fully elucidate the role of these drugs in such rare and life-threatening conditions.

Diagnosis and management of toxicities of immune checkpoint inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have reshaped cancer therapy. ICIs enhance T cell activation through various mechanisms and may help reverse the exhausted phenotype of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes. However, disrupting the key role that checkpoint molecules play in immune homeostasis may result in autoimmune complications. A broad range of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) involve almost every organ but mostly affect the skin, digestive system, lung, endocrine glands, nervous system, kidney, blood cells, and musculoskeletal system. They are usually manageable but can be life-threatening. The incidence of irAEs is not very different in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared to other tumour types, although there is a trend towards a higher incidence of hepatic irAEs. HCC usually develops on a background of cirrhosis with associated systemic manifestations. Extrahepatic organ dysfunction in cirrhosis may cause signs and symptoms that overlap with irAEs or increase their severity. Available guidelines for the management of irAEs have not specifically considered the assessment of toxicities in the context of patients with liver cancer and cirrhosis. This review addresses the toxicity profile of ICIs in patients with HCC, focusing on the challenges that the underlying liver disease poses to their diagnosis and management. Challenges include late recognition, inadequate work-up and delayed treatment, overdiagnosis and inappropriate interruption of ICIs, complications caused by immunosuppressive therapy, and increased cost. A specific algorithm for the management of hepatic irAEs is provided.