Validation of the consensus methodology algorithm for the classification of systemic necrotizing vasculitis in Indian patients

Neurological Manifestations Do not Affect Cumulative Survival in Indian Patients with Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody Associated Vasculitis

BACKGROUND

Neurological manifestations are an important cause of morbidity in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV). It is not clear whether or not they are indicative of a severe disease course with multiple organ involvement and shortened survival.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To characterize the neurological manifestations of AAV and analyze their relationship with other organ system and cumulative survival.

METHODS

This was a retrospective single-center cohort study of AAV patients at a tertiary care hospital in North India. Data was collected from medical records regarding clinical history, neurological examination, Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS), serology, electrophysiology, imaging, and histopathological examination findings of patients.

RESULTS

Ninety-two patients of systemic vasculitis were identified, 67 with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), 14 with microscopic polyangiitis, 8 with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS), and 3 with undifferentiated AAV. The median BVAS at presentation was 18.0 (interquartile range (IQR): 12.0). The median duration of follow-up was 31.3 months (IQR: 40.5). A total of 45.7% patients had neurological manifestations among which 23.8% presented with neurological complaints. Peripheral neuropathy was the most common manifestation noted in 23.9% of the patients. Among patients with GPA, 40.3% had neurological involvement (seen in 33.3% patients at presentation). Patients with nervous system disease were more likely to have associated musculoskeletal manifestations (P = 0.046) and less likely to have renal involvement (P = 0.017). The estimated cumulative survival of the subgroup with neurological involvement was 95.1 months from the time of diagnosis, which was not significantly different from the cohort without neurological involvement (113.8 months, P = 0.631).

CONCLUSION

Neurological morbidity commonly accompanies systemic vasculitis. Nervous system disease does not affect the survival significantly in these patients.

Enteric serotonin and oxytocin: endogenous regulation of severity in a murine model of necrotizing enterocolitis

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a gastrointestinal inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that may also affect the liver, causes a great deal of morbidity and mortality in premature infants. We tested the hypothesis that signaling molecules, which are endogenous to the bowel, regulate the severity of intestinal and hepatic damage in an established murine NEC model. Specifically, we postulated that mucosal serotonin (5-HT), which is proinflammatory, would exacerbate experimental NEC and that oxytocin (OT), which is present in enteric neurons and is anti-inflammatory, would oppose it. Genetic deletion of the 5-HT transporter (SERT), which increases and prolongs effects of 5-HT, was found to increase the severity of systemic manifestations, intestinal inflammation, and associated hepatotoxicity of experimental NEC. In contrast, genetic deletion of tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), which is responsible for 5-HT biosynthesis in enterochromaffin (EC) cells of the intestinal mucosa, and TPH inhibition with LP-920540 both decrease the severity of experimental NEC in the small intestine and liver. These observations suggest that 5-HT from EC cells helps to drive the inflammatory damage to the gut and liver that occurs in the murine NEC model. Administration of OT decreased, while the OT receptor antagonist atosiban exacerbated, the intestinal inflammation of experimental NEC. Data from the current investigation are consistent with the tested hypotheses-that the enteric signaling molecules, 5-HT (positively) and OT (negatively) regulate severity of inflammation in a mouse model of NEC. Moreover, we suggest that mucosally restricted inhibition of 5-HT biosynthesis and/or administration of OT may be useful in the treatment of NEC.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Serotonin (5-HT) and oxytocin reciprocally regulate the severity of intestinal inflammation and hepatotoxicity in a murine model of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Selective depletion of mucosal 5-HT through genetic deletion or inhibition of tryptophan hydroxylase-1 ameliorates, while deletion of the 5-HT uptake transporter, which increases 5-HT availability, exacerbates the severity of NEC. In contrast, oxytocin reduces, while the oxytocin receptor antagonist atosiban enhances, NEC severity. Peripheral tryptophan hydroxylase inhibition may be useful in treatment of NEC.

Polyarteritis nodosa in north India: clinical manifestations and outcomes

OBJECTIVE

There has been a significant decrease in the number of published reports of classical polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) in the post-Chapel Hill consensus conference (CHCC) nomenclature era with only two series published from Asia. We report a case series of PAN from north India.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of all patients diagnosed to have PAN according to American College of Rheumatology criteria/CHCC nomenclature. The details of clinical presentation, investigation findings, treatment details and outcomes were noted from the records. These findings between the hepatitis B positive and negative groups were compared.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients (20 male, seven female) were diagnosed as having PAN, out of which seven (25.9%) were hepatitis B surface antigen positive. Nervous system involvement was most common with 24 patients (88.9%) having mononeuritis multiplex. Weight loss was present in 20 (74%), fever in 14 (51.9%), renal involvement in 16 (59.3%), cutaneous in nine (33.3%), peripheral gangrene in eight (29.6%), gastrointestinal (GI) involvement in eight (29.6%), testicular pain in 6/20 (30%) and cardiac involvement in four (14.8%). Twenty-three (85.2%) patients recovered, three died (11.1%) and one was lost to follow-up. Median follow-up duration was 37 (interquartile range 22.00-69.75) months. The cumulative survival was 114.16 months (95% CI: 98.27-129.95). There was no significant difference in five factor score (FFS) or revised FFS between those patients who died and those who survived (P = 0.248, 0.894, respectively). Hepatitis B-related PAN had a lower FFS compared to non-hepatitis B-related PAN (P = 0.039). No other significant differences were noted between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

In comparison to classic PAN in other populations, classic PAN in north India is associated with higher neurological involvement and lower GI involvement.

Impact of renal involvement on survival in ANCA-associated vasculitis

BACKGROUND

Renal involvement is a serious complication of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). We describe the pattern of renal involvement and its correlation with outcomes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Medical records of 92 patients seen in rheumatology clinic and diagnosed as AAV between January 2007 and June 2014 were analysed. Patients were classified as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and undifferentiated AAV. Overall and renal outcomes were analysed. Patients were classified as advanced renal failure (creatinine >5.7 mg/dl or requiring dialysis), deranged RFT not qualifying the above parameters, and normal renal function.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven (72.8 %) patients had GPA, 14 (15.2 %) had MPA, 8 (8.7 %) had EGPA, and 3 (3.3 %) had undifferentiated AAV. Renal involvement was seen in 51 (55.4 %) patients (46.3 % of GPA patients, 78.6 % of MPA, 37.5 % of EGPA and 33.3 % of unclassifiable AAV patients). Renal involvement was more common in males (p = 0.008). Patients with renal involvement had higher mean BVAS scores as compared to patients without renal involvement (p < 0.01). Thirteen patients (25.5 %) presented with advanced renal failure (creatinine >5.7 mg/dl or requiring dialysis), 21 (41.2 %) had deranged renal functions but did not require dialysis, and the rest had proteinuria and active sediments with normal serum creatinine. Twenty-four patients (47.1 %) had good renal outcome with normal creatinine, 12 (23.5 %) had persistent renal insufficiency, 12 (23.5 %) died, and one (2 %) remained dialysis dependent. Mean survival and mortality did not differ in patients with and without renal involvement (p = 0.454, p = 0.388).

CONCLUSIONS

Renal involvement was more common in males. BVAS was higher in patients with renal involvement. The mean survival and mortality were similar in patients with or without renal involvement.

Granulomatous Vasculitis

Vasculitides are uncommon disorders, characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels resulting either in ischemia or hemorrhage. They are commonly classified as small-, medium-, or large-vessel vasculitides. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis is an important group of small-vessel vasculitis. This group includes granulomatous vasculitides, namely, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), and nongranulomatous vasculitis, namely, microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). Classic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a granulomatous medium-vessel vasculitis. This review discusses the classification, etiopathogenesis, clinical features, and management of GPA, MPA, EGPA and PAN.

Pulmonary-renal syndromes: Experience from an Indian Intensive Care Unit

BACKGROUND

The etiology of patients presenting with pulmonary-renal syndrome (PRS) to Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in India is not previously reported.

AIMS

The aim was to describe the prevalence, etiology, clinical manifestations, and outcomes of PRS in an Indian ICU and identify variables that differentiate immunologic causes of PRS from tropical syndromes presenting with PRS.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective observational study of all patients presenting with PRS over 1-year. Clinical characteristics of patients with "definite PRS" were compared with those with "PRS mimics".

RESULTS

We saw 27 patients with "provisional PRS" over the said duration; this included 13 patients with "definite PRS" and 14 with "PRS mimics". The clinical symptoms were similar, but patients with PRS were younger and presented with longer symptom duration. Ninety-two percent of the PRS cohort required mechanical ventilation, 77% required vasopressors and 61.5% required dialysis within 48 h of ICU admission. The etiologic diagnosis of PRS was made after ICU admission in 61.5%. Systemic lupus erythrematosus (54%) was the most common diagnosis. A combination of biopsy and serology was needed in the majority (69%, 9/13). Pulse methylprednisolone (92%) and cyclophosphamide (61.5%) was the most common protocol employed. Patients with PRS had more alveolar hemorrhage, hypoxemia and higher mortality (69%) when compared to "PRS mimics".

CONCLUSION

The spectrum of PRS is different in the tropics and tropical syndromes presenting with PRS are not uncommon. Multicentric studies are needed to further characterize the burden, etiology, treatment protocols, and outcomes of PRS in India.

Critical appraisal of classification criteria for vasculitides

The vasculitides are a group of protean diseases, some of which are caused by conditions including infections, other autoimmune diseases, or neoplasias. They are a challenge to the clinician, in terms of both diagnosis and therapy. No diagnostic criteria exist, although a multinational effort to develop them is in progress. However, many classification criteria have been proposed, and these have served as diagnostic surrogates and have made it possible to discriminate between many, although not all, of the vasculitides, mainly for epidemiological and therapeutic trial design purposes. In this review we recognise the difficulties of defining such criteria, but at the same time attempt to provide a critical overview of efforts to do so. The increasing knowledge regarding many of these diseases makes us confident that the time will come when their aetiology, or at least their main pathogenic features, is known, rendering proposed classification criteria obsolete.