Update on Outcome Measure Development in Large-vessel Vasculitis: Report from OMERACT 2018

Vascular ultrasound as a follow-up tool in patients with giant cell arteritis: a prospective observational cohort study

Objectives

To evaluate relapses in giant cell arteritis (GCA), investigate the utility of vascular ultrasound to detect relapses, and develop and assess a composite score for GCA disease activity (GCAS) based on clinical symptoms, ultrasound imaging activity, and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Methods

Patients with GCA were prospectively followed with scheduled visits, including assessment for clinical relapse, protocol ultrasound examination, and CRP. At each visit, patients were defined as having ultrasound remission or relapse. GCAS was calculated at every visit.

Results

The study included 132 patients, with a median follow-up time of 25 months [interquartile range (IR) 21]. The clinical relapse rate was 60.6%. There were no differences in relapse rates between GCA subtypes (cranial-GCA, large vessel (LV)-GCA, and mixed-GCA) (p = 0.83). Ultrasound yielded a sensitivity of 61.2% and a specificity of 72.3% for diagnosing GCA- relapse in our cohort. In 7.7% of follow-up visits with clinical relapses, neither high CRP nor findings of ultrasound relapse were registered. In comparison, in 10.3% of follow-up visits without symptoms of clinical relapse, there were both a high CRP and findings of ultrasound relapse.

Conclusion

We found moderate sensitivity and specificity for ultrasound as a monitoring tool for relapse in this prospective cohort of GCA patients. The extent or subtype of vasculitis at the diagnosis did not influence the number of relapses. Based on a combination of clinical symptoms, elevated CRP, and ultrasound findings, a composite score for GCA activity is proposed.

Ultrasound Examination of Common Carotid Adventitial Thickness Can Differentiate Takayasu Arteritis and Large Vessel Giant Cell Arteritis

Pathological studies have demonstrated that the adventitial layer is markedly thickened in Takayasu (TAK) as compared to large vessel giant cell arteritis (LV-GCA). An ultrasound (US) examination of the arterial vessels allows the determination of intima media thickness (IMT) and of adventitial layer thickness (extra media thickness (EMT)). No previous study has evaluated if there are differences in EMT thickness between TAK and LV-GCA. In this cross-sectional retrospective study of stored ultrasound (US) imaging, we have compared common carotid artery (CCA) EMT and IMT in a series of consecutive TAK and LV-GCA patients. US examination CCA IMT and EMT were significantly higher in TAK as compared to LV-GCA. With ROC curve analysis, we have found that an EMT > 0.76 mm has high sensitivity and specificity for TAK CCA examination. The percentage of CCA at EMT > 0.76 mm and the total arterial wall thickening were significantly higher in TAK group examinations. EMT thickness correlated with disease duration and IMT in the TAK group, as well as with the IMT and ESR values in the LV-GCA group. Upon multivariate logistic regression analysis, factors independently associated with TAK CCA were EMT > 0.76 mm and age. No significant variation in IMT and EMT could be demonstrated in subsequent US CCA examinations.

Relapses in giant cell arteritis: Updated review for clinical practice

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), the most common primary vasculitis in adults, is a granulomatous systemic vasculitis usually affecting the aorta and its major branches, particularly the carotid and vertebral arteries. Although remission can be achieved in most patients with GCA using high-dose glucocorticoids (GC), relapses are frequent, occurring in >40% of GC-only treated patients, mostly during the first two years after diagnosis. Relapsing courses lead to high GC exposure, increasing the risk of treatment-related adverse effects. Although tocilizumab is an efficacious GC-sparing therapy that allows increased sustained remission and reduced cumulative GC doses, relapses are common after drug discontinuation. This narrative review examines the most relevant features of relapses in GCA, including its definition, classification, frequency, clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics, chronology, probable pathophysiology, and predictive factors. In addition, we discuss treatment options for relapsing patients and the effect of relapses on patient outcomes.

Establishing clinical remission criteria for giant cell arteritis: Results of a Delphi exercise carried out by an expert panel of the Japan Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare for Intractable Vasculitis

OBJECTIVE

To develop a proposal for giant cell arteritis remission criteria in order to implement a treat-to-target algorithm.

METHODS

A task force consisting of 10 rheumatologists, 3 cardiologists, 1 nephrologist, and 1 cardiac surgeon was established in the Large-vessel Vasculitis Group of the Japanese Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for Intractable Vasculitis to conduct a Delphi survey of remission criteria for giant cell arteritis. The survey was circulated among the members over four reiterations with four face-to-face meetings. Items with a mean score of ≥4 were extracted as items for defining remission criteria.

RESULTS

An initial literature review yielded a total of 117 candidate items for disease activity domains and treatment/comorbidity domains of remission criteria, of which 35 were extracted as disease activity domains (systematic symptoms, signs and symptoms of cranial and large-vessel area, inflammatory markers, and imaging findings). For the treatment/comorbidity domain, ≤5 mg/day of prednisolone 1 year after starting glucocorticoids was extracted. The definition of achievement of remission was the disappearance of active disease in the disease activity domain, normalization of inflammatory markers, and ≤5 mg/day of prednisolone.

CONCLUSION

We developed proposals for remission criteria to guide the implementation of a treat-to-target algorithm for giant cell arteritis.

Trends in health care of patients with vasculitides, including giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, ANCA-associated vasculitis and Behçet's disease: cross-sectional data of the German National Database 2007-2021

The aim of this study is to present the current care situation of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), Takayasu arteritis (TAK), ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and Behçet's disease (BD). Trends over the last 15 years will reflect improvements and remaining deficits in the management of vasculitides. Consecutive cross-sectional data from patients with vasculitides from the German National Database (NDB) of the Collaborative Arthritis Centres between 2007 and 2021 were included. Medication, physician- and patient-reported outcomes on disease activity and disease burden, inpatient stays and occupational participation are compared for different vasculitis entities and over time. Employment rates were compared to German population rates. Between 502 and 854 vasculitis patients were annually documented. GCA and AAV were the most common vasculitides. Median disease duration ranged from 2 to 16 years. Over the years, glucocorticoids decreased in proportion and dose, most markedly in GCA and TAK, while biologic therapies increased up to 27%. Physicians rated disease activity as low for the vast majority of patients, while patients-reported moderate outcomes in many dimensions. PROs remained largely unchanged. The proportion of employed patients (< 65 years) increased from 47 to 57%. In recent years, biologics are increasingly used in patients with vasculitides, while glucocorticoids decreased significantly. PRO's have not improved. Work participation increased but remains lower than that in the German population.

New Therapeutic Approaches to Large-Vessel Vasculitis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TAK) are large-vessel vasculitides affecting the aorta and its branches. Arterial damage from these diseases may result in ischemic complications, aneurysms, and dissections. Despite their similarities, the management of GCA and TAK differs. Glucocorticoids are used frequently but relapses are common, and glucocorticoid toxicity contributes to significant morbidity. Conventional immunosuppressive therapies can be beneficial in TAK, though their role in the management of GCA remains unclear. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors improve remission rates and appear to limit vascular damage in TAK; these agents are not beneficial in GCA. Tocilizumab is the first biologic glucocorticoid-sparing agent approved for use in GCA and also appears to be effective in TAK. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of both conditions and the availability of targeted therapies hold much promise for future management.

Beyond the symptoms: Personalizing giant cell arteritis care through multidimensional patient reported outcome measure

BACKGROUND

Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) is the commonest form of systemic vasculitis in people over the age of 50. Published research highlighted the lack of a disease-specific patient reported outcomes (PROMs) for GCA.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the validity, reliability and responsiveness to change of a devised disease specific patient self-reported outcome measures questionnaire for Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA).

METHODS

The GCA-PROMs was conceptualized based on frameworks outlined in the OMERACT developed core set of Outcome Measures for Large-Vessel Vasculitis and the guiding principles of the FDA guidance. Initially, cognitive interviews were conducted to identify item pool of questions. Item selection and reduction was achieved based on patients as well as an interdisciplinary group of specialists. Rasch and internal consistency reliability analyses were implemented.

RESULTS

A total of 54 GCA patients completed the questionnaire. The GCA-PROMs questionnaire was reliable as demonstrated by a high standardized alpha (0.878-0.983). Content construct assessment of the GCA-PROMs functional disability and QoL revealed significant correlation (p< 0.01) with both HAQ and EQ-5D. Changes in functional disability, QoL showed significant (p< 0.01) variation with diseases activity status in response to therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The developed GCA-PROMs questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for assessment of GCA patients. A stratified treatment regimen depending on the individual patient's risk factors as well as preferences and associated comorbidities is the best approach to tailored patient management.

Ultrasonography in the assessment of disease activity in cranial and large-vessel giant cell arteritis: a prospective follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated sensitivity to change and discriminative abilities of vascular US scores in disease monitoring in the follow-up of a prospective cohort of new-onset cranial and large-vessel (LV) GCA patients.

METHODS

Baseline and follow-up (8 weeks, 24 weeks and 15 months) US of temporal arteries (TA), carotid and axillary arteries (LV) included assessment of halo and measurement of the intima media complex (IMC). Max IMC, max halo IMC, sum IMC, sum halo IMC, mean IMC, halo count and the Southend halo score were calculated. The provisional OMERACT US score, OGUS, was obtained, taking the average of temporal arteries and axillary arteries IMCs divided by their normal cut-off values.

RESULTS

Baseline US was positive in 44/47 patients (72% TA, 72% LV). Sensitivity to change of all composite US scores containing TAs was evident by week 8 onward. LVs responded poorly and new axillary US lesions emerged in six patients despite clinical remission. The OGUS showed a large magnitude of change and is considered the score least prone to potential bias. All TA-based US scores showed moderate-strong correlation with disease activity markers. OGUS, TA halo count, Southend TA halo score, TA sum IMC and TA mean IMC showed potential to discriminate remission and relapse with area under the curve ≥0.8.

CONCLUSIONS

The OGUS is suggested as an outcome measurement for the assessment of treatment response in clinical trials. The abilities of US scores to discriminate remission and relapse are encouraging and should be further explored.

Imaging of giant cell arteritis - recent advances

Imaging is increasingly being used to guide clinical decision-making in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). While ultrasound has been rapidly adopted in fast-track clinics worldwide as an alternative to temporal artery biopsy for the diagnosis of cranial disease, whole-body PET/CT is emerging as a potential gold standard test for establishing large vessel involvement. However, many unanswered questions remain about the optimal approach to imaging in GCA. For example, it is uncertain how best to monitor disease activity, given there is frequent discordance between imaging findings and conventional disease activity measures, and imaging changes typically fail to resolve completely with treatment. This chapter addresses the current body of evidence for the use of imaging modalities in GCA across the spectrum of diagnosis, monitoring disease activity, and long-term surveillance for structural changes of aortic dilatation and aneurysm formation and provides suggestions for future research directions.

Use of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography to Standardize Clinical Trial Recruitment in Takayasu's Arteritis

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether data from FDG-PET should be incorporated into eligibility criteria for clinical trials in Takayasu's arteritis (TAK).

METHODS

The study was conducted in two parts. Part One was an international online survey among physicians with experience managing TAK to determine, using clinical vignettes, whether FDG-PET data influences decisions about enrolment in trials. Part Two used patient data from an observational cohort study in TAK to assess agreement regarding decisions about enrolment into trials, based on clinical assessment with and without incorporation of FDG-PET data.

RESULTS

In Part One, 68 physicians responded to the survey. Most physicians had used FDG-PET to diagnose TAK (82%) or monitor disease activity (66%). In vignettes representing active clinical disease, FDG-PET findings increased physician confidence in disease assessment and reduced outlier assessments. The greatest variability in decisions regarding enrolment into trials was observed in vignettes representing constitutional symptoms alone and elevated acute phase reactants. In these cases, FDG-PET findings influenced decisions about enrolment and improved physician confidence. In multivariable models, FDG-PET findings were 1.29x more strongly associated with enrolment decisions compared with levels of acute phase reactants. In Part Two, incorporation of FDG-PET data significantly improved agreement about enrolment decisions between raters, (IRR = 0.68 [95%CI (0.67-0.69)] to IRR = 0.88 [95%CI 0.87-0.89]; p< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Incorporation of FDG-PET data into assessment of TAK influences decisions about enrolment of patients into trials, improves physician confidence about clinical assessment, and could help reduce variability in study populations. Future trials in TAK should consider incorporating FDG-PET data into eligibility criteria.

Establishing Clinical Remission Criteria and the Framework of a Treat-To-Target Algorithm for Takayasu arteritis: Results of a Delphi Exercise Carried out by an Expert Panel of the Japan Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare for intractable vasculitis

OBJECTIVE

To develop a proposal for remission criteria and a framework for a treat-to-target (T2T) algorithm for Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

METHODS

A study group of the large-vessel vasculitis group of the Japanese Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare for Intractable Vasculitis (JPVAS) consists of 10 rheumatologists, 5 cardiologists, 1 nephrologist, 1 vascular surgeon, 1 cardiac surgeon, and 2 pediatric rheumatologists. A Delphi survey of remission criteria items was circulated among the study group over 4 reiterations. To develop the T2T algorithm, the study group conducted four face-to-face meetings and two rounds of Delphi together with 3 patients.

RESULTS

Initial literature review resulted in a list of 117 candidate items for remission criteria, of which 56 items with a mean score of ≥4 (0-5) were extracted including disease activity domains and treatment/comorbidity domains. The study group provided six overarching principles for the T2T algorithm, two recommendations on treatment goals, five on evaluation of disease activity and imaging findings including PET-CT, and two on treatment intensification.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a T2T algorithm and proposals for standardized remission criteria by means of a Delphi exercise. These will guide future evaluation of different TAK treatment regimens.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Takayasu Arteritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

We conducted a systematic review of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) regarding quality of life, disability, mood abnormalities (anxiety, depression), fatigue, illness perceptions and fibromyalgia in Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Wherever available, comparisons with healthy controls, disease controls or longitudinal changes in PROMs were noted.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and Pubmed Central databases, major recent international rheumatology conference abstracts, clinical trial databases and the Cochrane library were searched for relevant articles. Wherever possible, outcome measures across studies were pooled using the restricted maximum likelihood model. Inter-group differences were pooled and compared using standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Quality of randomized controlled trials was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. For cross-sectional and cohort studies, the Joana Briggs Institute checklist and Newcastle-Ottawa scale were used, respectively. GRADE methodology was used to determine the certainty of evidence for outcomes.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies (all but one observational) involving 1311 patients with TAK and 308 healthy controls were identified. Ten studies (559 TAK patients, 182 healthy controls were synthesized in a meta-analysis. Patients with TAK had worse quality of life (pooled SMD - 6.66, 95% CI - 10.08 to - 3.23 for individual domains; - 0.64, 95% CI - 1.19 to - 0.09 for pooled physical and mental component scores of 36-item Short Form Survey), depression (SMD 0.26, 95% 0.05-0.47) and anxiety (SMD 0.34, 95% CI - 0.06 to 0.75) scores and higher disability (SMD 0.64, 95% CI 0.43-0.84) than healthy controls. Patients with active TAK had worse quality of life, depression and work impairment when compared with those with inactive disease. Included studies were of moderate to high quality. Certainty of evidence for individual outcomes was low to very low.

CONCLUSION

Literature on PROMs in TAK, albeit sparse, appears to indicate worse scores in patients with TAK compared to healthy individuals. These results, however, require cautious interpretation. Development of a TAK-specific PROM is an important focus of the research agenda.

Aortitis: an update

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Aortitis is the inflammation of the aorta due to various causes. Clinical presentations vary as well as the imaging findings. Exact pathogenetic mechanisms or triggering factors, as well as the best diagnostic and monitoring modalities and treatment strategies, are yet to be elucidated. We reviewed recent studies in aortitis and associated diseases.

RECENT FINDINGS

Multiple cohort studies reporting long-term outcomes in patients with noninfectious aortitis were recently published. Comparative features of isolated aortitis were described. Six angiographic clusters for giant cell arteritis and Takayasu have been identified. New classification criteria have been proposed for IgG4-related disease by a data-driven method. The ultrasonographic slope sign and a halo score were described as specific imaging parameters in giant cell arteritis. The promising role of PET-computed tomography, not only in the diagnosis of aortitis but also in monitoring disease activity, has been noted. Results of in-vitro studies on Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducers and activators of transcription and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways, comparative studies with leflunomide as an induction therapy, and a long-term follow-up study with tocilizumab may contribute to the management of Takayasu arteritis.

SUMMARY

An impressive number of studies have addressed aortitis in recent years. However, there still is a lack of robust data on causes, monitoring disease activity by imaging and biomarkers, and drugs providing steroid-free remission in noninfectious aortitis.