Vasculitis

Findings from two studies published in Rheumatology suggest that angiotensin receptor blocker use may be associated with an increased risk for developing giant cell arteritis, and that interferon-γ may warrant further investigation as a risk biomarker.

Measuring erythrocyte sedimentation rate, angiopoietin-2/-1 ratio, and matrix metalloprotease-3 levels may help discriminate patients with isolated polymyalgia rheumatica from those with concomitant giant cell arteritis, research suggests.

Findings from a proof-of-concept trial provide preliminary evidence to suggest that the JAK inhibitor baricitinib is well tolerated and may have efficacy for the treatment of relapsing giant cell arteritis.

Cumulative prednisone dose and effective disease control are both associated with increased BMI among patients with giant cell arteritis, post-hoc analysis of the GiACTA trial suggests.

Findings from the phase 2 TitAIN trial support further investigation of the IL-17A inhibitor secukinumab for the treatment of giant cell arteritis.

An analysis of data from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance and EULAR COVID-19 registries suggests high rates of severe COVID-19 among people with primary systemic vasculitis or polymyalgia rheumatica.

The majority of patients with giant cell arteritis generate an antibody response following both doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, researchers report in a letter to Rheumatology.

People with giant cell arteritis have an elevated risk for all-cause mortality relative to the general population, particularly within the first year following diagnosis, researchers report.

The American College of Rheumatology and the Vasculitis Foundation have issued joint guidelines for the management of various types of vasculitis.

Tocilizumab monotherapy following an ultra-short pulse of glucocorticoid treatment may be effective for inducing and maintaining remission in patients with new-onset giant cell arteritis, suggest preliminary study findings.

Findings from the Euro-COVIMID study suggest that the seroprevalence and effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with rheumatic diseases are in line with those in the general population, and inflammation may be a risk factor for developing symptomatic COVID-19.

A large US study has evaluated the risk for developing incident rheumatic disease following a positive test for SARS-CoV-2.

Real-world study results suggest that less than a third of patients with giant cell arteritis and/or polymyalgia rheumatica are able to discontinue glucocorticoid treatment for at least 6 months, and a substantial proportion remain on prednisone for at least 2 years.

Real-world data confirm the effectiveness of tocilizumab for decreasing relapse risk and allowing corticosteroid reduction in heavily treated patients with giant cell arteritis.

There was a “large rise” in the number of people being diagnosed with giant cell arteritis during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with an increase in the proportion of patients with associated visual impairment, UK researchers report.

UK research has identified a “strong dose-dependent” association between oral glucocorticoid use and CVD risk among people with immune-mediated diseases, with an increased risk seen even at doses of less than 5 mg/day.

Mavrilimumab is effective for reducing the risk for flare and maintaining sustained remission in patients with giant cell arteritis, phase 2 study findings show.

Among people with inflammatory rheumatic diseases and SARS-CoV-2 infection, having a connective tissue disease, but not inflammatory arthritis, is associated with an increased risk for severe COVID-19, Spanish researchers report.