High burden of infections in Indian patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy: validation of observations from the MyoCite dataset

Increased mortality rate in Takayasu arteritis is largely driven by cardiovascular disease: a cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To analyse the risk, causes and predictors of mortality in Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

METHODS

Survival was assessed in a cohort of patients with TAK using Kaplan-Meier curves. Age- and sex-standardized mortality ratio (SMR = observed: expected deaths) for TAK were calculated by applying age- and sex-specific mortality rates for the local population to calculate expected deaths. Hazard ratios (HR with 95%CI) for predictors of mortality based on demographic characteristics, presenting features, baseline angiographic involvement, disease activity, number of immunosuppressive medications used, procedures related to TAK and any serious infection were calculated using Cox regression or exponential parametric regression models.

RESULTS

Among 224 patients with TAK (159 females, mean follow-up duration 44.36 months), survival at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years was 97.34%, 96.05%, 93.93% and 89.23%, respectively. Twelve deaths were observed, most of which were due to cardiovascular disease (heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke). Mortality risk was significantly higher with TAK (SMR 17.29, 95%CI 8.95-30.11) than the general population. Earlier age at disease onset (HR 0.90, 95%CI 0.83-0.98; or pediatric-onset vs adult-onset disease, HR 5.51, 95%CI 1.57-19.32), higher disease activity scores (ITAS2010: HR 1.15, 95%CI 1.05-1.25, DEI.TAK: HR 1.18, 95%CI 1.08-1.29), any serious infections (HR 5.43, 95%CI 1.72-17.12), heart failure (HR 7.83, 95%CI 2.17-28.16) or coeliac trunk involvement at baseline (HR 4.01, 95%CI 1.26-12.75) were associated with elevated mortality risk.

CONCLUSION

Patients with TAK had an elevated risk of mortality as compared with the general population. Cardiovascular disease was the leading cause of death in TAK.

Observational longitudinal study to assess the outcome of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis using validated tools

INTRODUCTION

There have been major changes in the classification and treatment of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myositis (IIM) in the last 2 decades. A major challenge is to identify the parameters that can affect the outcome and prognosis of these patients. Here, we have longitudinally followed a well-characterized cohort of IIM patients in a rheumatology center and reported the outcome using the validated tools.

METHOD

Patients with a clinical diagnosis of IIM and a follow-up duration of greater than 2 years were prospectively included in the study. The duration of the study was 6 years: July 2016-July 2022. Clinical details and follow-up were recorded using pro-formas and outcomes were noted using validated tools. Ethics approval and written informed consent were taken.

RESULTS

Forty patients had a clinical diagnosis of IIM. Mean follow-up duration was 43.8 (15) months. Out of 40 patients, 32 (80%) achieved remission (8 patients each were off corticosteroid and off treatment for >6 months), 5 (12%) expired and 3 (8%) had active disease. Disease course was non-relapsing in 22/35 (73%) patients. Mean manual muscle testing-8 score (n = 29) and myositis disease activity assessment tool score (n = 35) at the final visit were 75.6 (6.8) and 0.048 (0.07) respectively. Thirteen patients had damage (37%). Patients with disease duration >1 year at the time of presentation were more likely to develop chronic-continuous disease course (P = .023, odds ratio [OR] = 7.6), more frequently required second-line or third-line immunosuppression (P = .001, OR = 24) with higher myositis damage index score (p = .0002, OR = 47).

CONCLUSIONS

IIM patients had good outcomes with the majority achieving remission and near-complete muscle recovery. However, the patients presenting late to the rheumatologists were more likely to have smoldering disease, more immunosuppressive medicines, and greater accumulated damage.

Risk of Early Infection in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: Cluster Analysis Based on Clinical Features and Biomarkers

Patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), referred to as myositis, are prone to infectious complications, which hinder the treatment of the disease and worsen the outcome of patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the different types of infectious complications in patients with myositis and to determine the predisposing factors for clinical reference. A retrospective study was conducted on 66 patients with IIM who were divided into different subpopulations by an unsupervised analysis of their clinical manifestations, laboratory features, and autoantibody characteristics. Combined with the incidence of infectious complications, the types of infectious pathogens and the sites of infection, the characteristics of infection, and susceptibility factors were explored. Three clusters with significantly different clinical characteristics and coinfection rates were identified (76.2% vs. 41.6% vs. 36.4%, p = 0.0139). Cluster 1 (n = 12) had a moderate risk of infection, with an infection rate of 41.6%. The patients in cluster 1 had a high probability of positive mechanic's hands, periungual erythema, anti-Ro52 antibody, and anti-Jo1 antibody. CD3 and CD4 were the highest among the three groups. Cluster 2 (n = 21) had a high risk of infection, and the incidence of infection was 76.2%. Almost all patients in this cluster had a rash, prominent clinical symptoms, and decreased WBC, PMN, LYM, CD3, and CD4 counts. Cluster 3 (n = 33) had a low risk of infection, with an infection rate of 36.4%. Compared with the other two clusters, cluster 3 (n = 33) lacked a typical rash but had a high ANA-positive rate. The patients in cluster 1 and cluster 3 were mainly infected by viruses, followed by bacterial infections. In cluster 2 patients, bacterial infections were the most prevalent. Fungal and Pneumocystis carinii were common causes of cluster 2 and 3 infections. In addition, the patients within a cluster often have a single infection, and pulmonary infections are the most common. We clustered the patients with IIM complicated with infection into three different types by their clinical symptoms and found that there were differences in the infection risk and infection types among the different cluster groups.

COVID-19 outcomes in patients with Dermatomyositis: A registry-based cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with rheumatic diseases (RDs) like DM are known to be vulnerable towards various types of infections due to aggressive disease activity mandating high dose immunosuppressive therapy. The severity of COVID-19 in RDs is limited in literature due to the heterogeneous nature of the condition. Therefore, specific details on mortality is essential to navigate any precautions required in the treatment.

OBJECTIVES

To determine outcomes of COVID-19 in DM as compared to controls, and identify the risk association of gender, race, interstitial lung disease, neoplasms, and use of immunosuppressant.

METHODS

Retrospective data of individuals with DM and COVID-19 and the general population with COVID-19 between January 2020 to August 2021 was retrieved from the TriNetX database. 1:1 Propensity Score matching was used to adjust for confounders. We assessed COVID-19 outcomes such as mortality, hospitalisation, ICU admission, severe COVID-19, mechanical ventilation (MV), acute kidney injury (AKI), venous thromboembolism (VTE), ischemic stroke, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), renal replacement therapy (RRT) and sepsis. Subgroup analyses included gender, race, ILD, cancer patients, disease-modifying rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) use, and glucocorticoids (GC) use.

RESULTS

We identified 5,574 DM patients with COVID-19, and 5,574 general population with COVID-19 (controls). DM with COVID-19 had a lower risk of mortality in comparison to controls [RR 0.76], hospitalisation [RR 0.8], severe COVID-19 [RR 0.76], AKI [RR 0.83], and sepsis [RR 0.73]. Males and African Americans were more likely to develop AKI [RR 1.35, 1.65], while African Americans had higher odds for severe COVID-19 [RR 1.62] and VTE [RR 1.54]. DM with ILD group also experienced higher odds for severe COVID-19 infection [RR 1.64], and VTE [RR 2.06]. DM patients receiving DMARDs and glucocorticoids had higher odds for hospitalisation [RR 1.46, 2.12], and sepsis [RR 3.25, 2.4] Subgroup analysis of 5-year neoplasm history amongst DM patients with COVID-19 was inadequate for meaningful comparison.

CONCLUSION

Dermatomyositis patients without comorbities have reasonable COVID-19 outcomes including mortality and hospitalisation. Black race, male gender, ILD, DMARDS and glucocorticoid users, are associated with poor outcomes.

Demographic, clinical, laboratory data, prognostic, and treatment features of patients with antisynthetase syndrome: An international, two-center cohort study

Objectives: To compare clinical, demographic, laboratory data, prognostic and treatment characteristics of patients with antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD) treated in two different centers of India and Brazil.

Patients and methods: This international, two-center, retro-prospective cohort study which was conducted at two tertiary rheumatology centers (one in Brazil and one in India) between January 2000 to January 2020 included a total of 115 patients with ASSD (21 males, 94 females; mean age; at disease diagnosis at 40.3; range, 18 to 80 years). Demographic, clinical and laboratory data of the patients were recorded. Clinical involvement was evaluated.

Results: Of the patients, 81 were Brazilians and 34 were of Indian origin. The Indian group exhibited a greater delay in diagnosis after the onset of symptoms compared to Brazilian patients (12 vs. 6 months, respectively; p=0.026). Brazilian patients exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of joint and lung involvement, mechanic’s hands, and Raynaud’s phenomenon. Anti-Jo-1 was the most common autoantibodies in both groups. Systemic arterial hypertension, followed by diabetes mellitus were the most prevalent comorbidities. Concerning previously used drugs, the Indian patients had a larger group of patients treated with antimalarials, whereas the Brazilian group used more azathioprine and intravenous immunoglobulin. A higher proportion of Indian patients was treated with one immunosuppressive drug (70.6%), while the Brazilian group were often treated using two immunosuppressive drugs (33%). Comparison between the severity and prognosis showed that Brazilian group had a higher number of relapses, and during follow-up, the global mortality rates were similar in both groups (6.2% for Brazilian vs. 8.8% for Indian).

Conclusion: Brazilian and Indian patients with ASSD have comparable epidemiological characteristics such as age at the time of disease diagnosis, and sex distribution, and autoantibodies. Diagnostic delay is seen in Indian patients, and Brazilians exhibit a higher prevalence of joint and lung involvement, mechanic’s hands, Raynaud’s phenomenon with a higher number of relapses, although the mortality rate seems to be similar in both groups.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of mycobacterial infections in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

OBJECTIVES

Infections including tuberculosis (TB) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). We systematically reviewed the prevalence of mycobacterial infections in patients with IIM.

METHODS

We screened PUBMED, EMBASE and SCOPUS databases and conference abstracts (2015-20) for original articles using Covidence. Pooled estimates of prevalence were calculated.

RESULTS

Of 83 studies (28 cohort studies, two case control and 53 case reports), 19 were analysed. Of 14 043 IIM patients, DM (54.41%) was the most common subset among TB. Most studies were from Asia with high prevalence (5.86%, 2.33%-10.60%). Pooled prevalence of mycobacterial infections among IIM was 3.58% (95% CI: 2.17%, 5.85%, P < 0.01). Disseminated and extrapulmonary forms (46.58%; 95% CI: 39.02%, 54.31%, P = 1.00) were as common as pulmonary TB (49.07%; 95% CI: 41.43%, 56.75%, P =0.99) both for I2=0. Muscle involvement, an otherwise rare site, was frequently seen in case reports (24.14%). M. tuberculosis (28.84%) was the most common pathogen followed by Mycobacterium avium complex (3.25%). Non-tuberculous mycobacteria were less common overall (6.25; 95% CI: 3.49%, 10.93%) I2=0, P =0.94. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression based on high vs low TB regions found prevalence 6.61% (2.96%, 11.33%) in high TB regions vs 2.05% (0.90%, 3.56%) in low TB regions. While death due to TB was occasionally reported (P =0.82), successful anti-tubercular treatment was common (13.95%).

CONCLUSION

TB is common in IIM, particularly in endemic regions though current data is largely heterogeneous. Extra-pulmonary forms and atypical sites including the muscle are frequent. Limited data suggests fair outcomes, although larger prospective studies may offer better understanding.

Demographic, clinical, laboratory data, prognostic, and treatment features of patients with antisynthetase syndrome: An international, two-center cohort study

Objectives

To compare clinical, demographic, laboratory data, prognostic and treatment characteristics of patients with antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD) treated in two different centers of India and Brazil.

Patients and methods

This international, two-center, retro-prospective cohort study which was conducted at two tertiary rheumatology centers (one in Brazil and one in India) between January 2000 to January 2020 included a total of 115 patients with ASSD (21 males, 94 females; mean age; at disease diagnosis at 40.3; range, 18 to 80 years). Demographic, clinical and laboratory data of the patients were recorded. Clinical involvement was evaluated.

Results

Of the patients, 81 were Brazilians and 34 were of Indian origin. The Indian group exhibited a greater delay in diagnosis after the onset of symptoms compared to Brazilian patients (12 vs. 6 months, respectively; p=0.026). Brazilian patients exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of joint and lung involvement, mechanic's hands, and Raynaud's phenomenon. Anti-Jo-1 was the most common autoantibodies in both groups. Systemic arterial hypertension, followed by diabetes mellitus were the most prevalent comorbidities. Concerning previously used drugs, the Indian patients had a larger group of patients treated with antimalarials, whereas the Brazilian group used more azathioprine and intravenous immunoglobulin. A higher proportion of Indian patients was treated with one immunosuppressive drug (70.6%), while the Brazilian group were often treated using two immunosuppressive drugs (33%). Comparison between the severity and prognosis showed that Brazilian group had a higher number of relapses, and during follow-up, the global mortality rates were similar in both groups (6.2% for Brazilian vs. 8.8% for Indian).

Conclusion

Brazilian and Indian patients with ASSD have comparable epidemiological characteristics such as age at the time of disease diagnosis, and sex distribution, and autoantibodies. Diagnostic delay is seen in Indian patients, and Brazilians exhibit a higher prevalence of joint and lung involvement, mechanic's hands, Raynaud's phenomenon with a higher number of relapses, although the mortality rate seems to be similar in both groups.