Rituximab in the treatment of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Rituximab for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a systematic review of observational studies

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the available evidence about the use of rituximab (RTX) and other biologic agents in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) patients and to provide useful findings to inform the design of future, reliable clinical trials.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane library databases on RTX, and an extensive literature search was conducted on other biologic agents.

RESULTS

Forty-five papers pertinent to our questions were found: 16 retrospective cohort studies, 8 case series, 3 prospective cohort studies and 18 single case reports, for a total of 368 EGPA patients. More than 80% of evaluable patients achieved complete or partial remission with a tendency towards a higher rate of complete response in the pANCA-positive subgroup.

CONCLUSION

Although the majority of the evaluable EGPA patients treated with RTX appears to achieve complete remission, we strongly believe that a number of sources of heterogeneity impair a clear interpretation of results and limit their transferability in clinical practice. Differences in design, enrolment criteria, outcome definition and measurement make a comparison among data obtained from studies on RTX and other biologic agents unreliable.

Ten-year experience with rituximab for induction and maintenance therapy in patients with ANCA-associated systemic vasculitis

Rituximab (RTM), a monoclonal antibody against CD20+ receptors on the membrane of B-cells, is becoming increasingly important for the induction and maintenance treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated systemic vasculitis (ANCA-SV). The challenge facing us is to optimize its efficacy, while limiting adverse events (AEs).

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RTM used for the induction and maintenance of remission in ANCA-SV on the basis of 10-year single-center experience.

Patients and methods. The paper presents the authors’ own 10-year experience with RTM used for the induction and maintenance of remission in 103 patients with ANCA-SV, including granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) (n=58), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) (n=35), ANCA-positive eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) (n=4), and ANCA-negative EGPA (n=6). The duration of a follow-up after initiation of RTM treatment was more than a year (with the exception of death cases) and averaged 25 to 58 months in different ANCA-SV groups. The patients were monitored every 3 months. The intervals between repeated cycles were dependent on the time course of changes in clinical and laboratory parameters. The mean cumulative RTM dose exceeded 3 g; 75% of patients received repeated cycles of RMT usually at a cumulative dose of 0.5–1.0 g at a 4–12-month interval.

Results and discussion. Repeated RTM cycles for ANCA-SV were highly effective; the clinical response rate was 97%, while 90–93% of patients with different types of ANCA-SV achieved complete clinical response. Despite the fact that the examined population included a high proportion of patients with a severe or refractory course of the disease; ANCA-SV patients showed 10% mortality rates during the entire follow-up period. Anti-B-cell therapy with RTM is of great importance in obtaining long-term optimal results, making it possible to improve ANCA-SV control and to minimize the cumulative dose of glucocorticoids. Since in ANCA-SV, the use of repeated cycles of RTM, including that at a reduced dose of 0.5 g, contributes to the higher efficiency of treatment and to the lower risk of relapse, it is advisable to perform long-term (≥2 years) RTM therapy, by controlling the parameters of clinical and immunological activities and the levels of circulating CD20+ B cells and serum immunoglobulins, deficiency of which can potentially increase the risk of infectious AEs. When planning RTM therapy, it is necessary to consider the specific features of the safety profile for individual nosological entities and to make a careful appropriate monitoring of ANCA-SV patients receiving RTM. The risk of late-onset neutropenia was highest in patients with all types of ANCA-SV (3–10%). Infections in patients with GPA and MPA constitute a substantial proportion (10–11%) in serious AEs. Management of EGPA patients requires alertness to the risk of infusion-related reactions, primarily bronchospasm.

Conclusion. There is a need for further investigation of an anti-B-cell therapy strategy, including the efficacy and safety of RTM in ANCA-SV and for clarification of indications and optimal RTM treatment regimens. 

Biologics for childhood systemic vasculitis

Recent advances have allowed better understanding of vasculitis pathogenesis and led to more targeted therapies. Two pivotal randomized controlled trials, RITUXVAS and rituximab in ANCA-associated vasculitis (RAVE), provide high-quality evidence demonstrating rituximab (RTX) is efficacious in inducing remission in adult ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients compared with cyclophosphamide (CYC). RAVE also demonstrated superiority of RTX to oral CYC for induction of remission in relapsing disease. Disappointingly, the RTX regimen was not associated with reduction in early serious adverse events. At least nine randomized trials are in progress, aiming to further delineate optimal dosing and duration of RTX therapy in AAV. In particular, the 6-month interim results of the PEPRS trial provide encouraging data specific to children. Due to special concerns related to growth, preservation of fertility, and potential for high cumulative medication doses, children with AAV should be considered as candidates for RTX even as a first-line remission induction therapy. Two randomized clinical trials have defined the role of infliximab in Kawasaki disease (KD), which appears to be as an alternative to a second infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for treatment-resistant disease. Support for other biologics in the treatment of AAV or for biologics in the treatment of other vasculidities is largely lacking due to either unimpressive trial results or lack of trials. Except for the KD trials and the PEPRS, trials enrolling children remain scant. This review touches on the key trials and case series with biologics in the treatment of vasculitis that have influenced practice and shaped current thinking.

Mycophenolate mofetil for induction and maintenance of remission in naïve patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis without renal involvement

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) associated vasculitides include granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, previously called Wegener's), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), previously called Churg-Strauss). In this report we used mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroids to induce and maintain remission in two newly diagnosed cases with c-ANCA associated GPA. The two patients' maintained remission with no disease relapses during one year follow-up.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome) as a differential diagnosis of hypereosinophilic syndromes

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome, is a rare systemic disease situated between primary small vessel vasculitides associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) and hypereosinophilic syndromes (HES). Here, we present a case of EGPA in a 38-year-old male, with a previous diagnosis of asthma, who presented with fever, migratory lung infiltrates and systemic eosinophilia that was refractory to previous courses of antibiotics. This case highlights the importance of the primary care physician understanding the differential diagnosis of pulmonary eosinophilic syndromes.

[Current approaches to diagnosing and treating eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: The 2015 international guidelines]

The 2015 international guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, formerly known as the Churg-Strauss syndrome, are detailed and an attempt is made to expand an evidence base, by attracting more recent available publications. The new guidelines should not be regarded as final standards; these are primarily to extend the possibilities of choosing a personified management strategy for patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and to serve as the starting point for further in-depth investigations.

Spotlight on rituximab in the treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: current perspectives

A 54-year-old patient presented to his general practitioner because of strong muscle pain in both thighs. Inflammatory parameters (CRP 16.3 mg/dL) and white blood cells (15 g/L) were elevated. The patient reported a weight loss of 10 kg in 4 weeks. There was no fever or any other specific symptoms. Urine dipstick examination and computed tomography of the chest were unremarkable. Because of increasing symptoms, the patient was referred to our department. Magnetic resonance tomography showed diffuse inflammatory changes of the muscles of both thighs. Neurological examination and electrophysiology revealed axonal sensorimotor neuropathy and ground-glass opacities of both lungs had occurred. Serum creatinine increased to 229 μmol/L within a few days, with proteinuria of 3.3 g/g creatinine. Kidney biopsy showed diffuse pauci-immune proliferative glomerulonephritis. Proteinase 3-specific antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies were markedly increased. Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score was 35. Within 2 days, serum creatinine further increased to 495 μmol/L. Plasma exchange, high-dose glucocorticosteroids, and hemodialysis were started. The patient received cyclophosphamide 1 g twice and rituximab 375 mg/m² four times according to the RITUXVAS protocol. Despite ongoing therapy, hemodialysis could not be withdrawn and had to be continued over 3 weeks until diuresis normalized. Glucocorticosteroids were tapered to 20 mg after 2 months, and serum creatinine was 133 μmol/L. However, nephritic urinary sediment reappeared. Another dose of 1 g cyclophosphamide was given, and glucocorticosteroids were raised for another 4 weeks. After 6 months, the daily prednisolone dose was able to be tapered to 5 mg. Serum creatinine was 124 μmol/L, proteinuria further decreased to 382 mg/g creatinine, and the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score was 0. Maintenance therapy with rituximab 375 mg/m² every 6 months was started. At the last visit after 8 months, the patient was still in remission, with only minor persistent dysesthesia of the left foot and a persistent serum creatinine of 133 μmol/L.

Rituximab in refractory sarcoidosis: a single centre experience

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease whose outcome varies from spontaneous remission to chronic refractory disease. Provided that steroids represent the gold standard as a first line treatment, many immune suppressants drugs are currently used in the disease management. However, refractory disease is still a great challenge. Rituximab is an anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody, currently used for the treatment of B cell malignancies and systemic autoimmune diseases. There are few case reports describing the successful use of Rituximab in refractory sarcoidosis with lung, eye, lymph nodes and skin involvement. In this paper we described three different case reports in which Rituximab has been used to treat refractory sarcoidosis and we reviewed the existing literature.

Rituximab as maintenance therapy for ANCA associated vasculitis: how, when and why?

ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV) are chronic autoimmune diseases characterized by inflammation and destruction of small vessels. Rituximab is now licensed for use as a remission-induction agent in the treatment of these disorders. During recent years, several non-controlled studies have suggested that rituximab may be of value in maintaining disease remission in AAV. In these series, 3 techniques have been tried: "watch-and-wait", repeated cycles in fixed intervals, or administration based on proposed biomarkers. More importantly, the results of the MAINRITSAN trial showed that this anti-CD20 agent is superior to azathioprine for preventing major relapses in AAV. This review summarizes current information regarding the effectiveness, timing, dosing, duration and safety of rituximab as a valid option for remission maintenance.