Immunotherapy for ANCA-associated vasculitis during the COVID-19 pandemic

Optimal dose of intravenous cyclophosphamide during remission induction therapy in ANCA-associated vasculitis: A retrospective cohort study of J-CANVAS

OBJECTIVES

To identify the optimal dose of intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY) for induction therapy for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed patients with antibody-associated vasculitis who received IVCY every 2-3 weeks during the remission induction phase. The associations of the IVCY dose with infection-free survival and relapse-free survival were analysed using a Cox regression model. We compared patients in three categories: very low-dose (VLD), low-dose (LD), and conventional dose (CD) (<7.5 mg/kg, 7.5-12.5 mg/kg, and >12.5 mg/kg, respectively). The non-linear association between IVCY dose and the outcomes was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 80 patients (median age 72 years), 12, 42, and 26 underwent the VLD, LD, and CD regimens, respectively, of whom 4, 3, and 7 developed infection or died. The adjusted hazard ratios for infection or death were 4.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94-19.8) for VLD and 5.1 (95% CI 1.21-21.3) for CD, compared with LD. We found the hazard ratio for infection or death increased when the initial IVCY dose exceeded 9 mg/kg. Relapse-free survival did not differ clearly.

CONCLUSION

Low-dose IVCY (7.5-12.5 mg/kg) may result in fewer infections and similar relapse rates compared with the conventional regimen (>12.5 mg/kg).

Correlation of covid-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome: A Mechanistic Perspective

Aims

Coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 particles are spherical and have proteins called spikes that stick out on the surface. COVID-19 most commonly affects the respiratory system, but various clinical manifestations on coronavirus have revealed their potential neurotropism. The neuroinvasive affinity of Coronavirus infections has been reported nearly for all the β Coronavirus infections, including MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, HCoV-OC43 and HEV. Coronavirus invasion occurs through hypoxia injury, immune injury, ACE2, and direct infection. The pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 and other human Coronaviruses reveals the possible mechanisms of neurodegeneration.

Methods

A systematic literature review carried out from various search engines like Scopus, PubMed, Medline, and Elsevier for investigating the therapeutic perspective of association between Covid-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Results

SARS-CoV-2 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 as its entry receptor and enters the central nervous system through a Blood-brain barrier constituted of inflammatory mediators, direct infection of the endothelial cells, or endothelial injury. Guillain-Barré syndrome is an autoimmune disease that injures and attacks the nerves in the peripheral nervous system. Studies suggest that the virus can infect peripheral neurons to cause direct damage through various mechanisms, including direct damage by cytokine-related injury, ACE2 receptors, and the sequelae of hypoxia.

Conclusion

we have discussed the possible mechanisms between neuroinvasion of SARs-cov2 and Guillain-barre syndrome.

The COVID-19 pandemic and ANCA-associated vasculitis - reports from the EUVAS meeting and EUVAS education forum

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influenced the management of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. A paucity of data exists on outcome of patients with vasculitis following COVID-19, but mortality is higher than in the general population and comparable to patients undergoing haemodialysis or kidney transplant recipients (reported mortality rates of 20-25%). Delays in diagnosis have been reported, which are associated with sequelae such as dialysis-dependency. Management of ANCA-associated vasculitis has not changed with the aim to suppress disease activity and reduce burden of disease. The use of rituximab, an important and widely used agent, is associated with a more severe hospital course of COVID-19 and absence of antibodies following severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 infections, which prone patients to re-infection. Reports on vaccine antibody response are scarce at the moment, but preliminary findings point towards an impaired immune response, especially when patients receive rituximab as part of their treatment. Seropositivity was reported in less than 20% of patients when rituximab was administered within the prior six months, and the antibody response correlated with CD19⁺ B-cell repopulation. A delay in maintenance doses, if disease activity allows, has been suggested using a CD19⁺ B-cell guided strategy. Other immunosuppressive measures, which are used in ANCA-associated vasculitis, also impair humoral and cellular vaccine responses. Regular measurements of vaccine response or a healthcare-policy time-based strategy are indicated to provide additional doses ("booster") of COVID-19 vaccines. This review summarizes a recent educational forum and a recent virtual meeting of the European Vasculitis Society (EUVAS) focusing on COVID-19.

Propylthiouracil-Induced Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis after COVID-19 Vaccination

We report the case of a patient who developed antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) after receiving the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine BNT162b (Pfizer–BioNTech). A 37-year-old Japanese woman had been taking propylthiouracil for Graves’ disease. She had erythema on her forearm on the 12th day after receiving the first dose of the vaccine, fever on the 13th day, and redness and swelling of her left auricle on the 25th day. Her serum myeloperoxidase-ANCA and proteinase 3-ANCA levels, which were negative before the Graves’ disease treatment, were elevated. She had unilateral auricular symptoms but no other typical relapsing polychondritis findings. She was diagnosed with propylthiouracil-induced AAV. She was treated with oral glucocorticoids, and her symptoms improved. Propylthiouracil is considered to be the main cause of the onset of AAV in this case, but it cannot be ruled out that BNT162b may have had some effect on the onset of the disease. Although the development of propylthiouracil-induced AAV in this case may have been incidental and unrelated to the vaccination, this report provides important data for evaluating the safety of the vaccine.

ANCA-Associated Glomerulonephritis and Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome in a Patient with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Just a Coincidence?

Many reports have described a high incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) among patients with COVID-19. Acute tubular necrosis has been reported to be the most common damage in these patients, probably due to hemodynamic instability. However, other complex processes may be involved, related to the cytokine storm and the activation of innate and adaptive immunity. Here, we describe a patient who developed an antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and lung involvement and an antiphospholipid syndrome soon after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. After viral pneumonia was excluded by bronchoalveolar lavage, the patient has been treated with rituximab for amelioration of kidney function and resolution of thrombosis without any adverse event. We conclude that COVID-19 may trigger autoimmune diseases including ANCA-associated vasculitis. Thus, this diagnosis should be taken in consideration in COVID-19 patients, especially when they develop AKI with active urinary sediment. In addition, considering the relationship between these 2 diseases, SARS-CoV-2 infection should be excluded in all patients with a new diagnosis ANCA-associated vasculitis before starting immunosuppressive therapy.