New therapeutic strategies in lung vasculitis

Link to article at PubMed

Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2020 Sep;26(5):496-506. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000693.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the latest publications and provide a practical overview of treatment strategies for lung vasculitis associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs).

RECENT FINDINGS: In patients with severe ANCA-associated vasculitis, plasma exchange, as adjunctive therapy to standard treatment, is not associated with improved survival or reduced risk of end-stage kidney disease. A regimen with reduced dose of glucocorticoids is equally effective to induce remission as a standard regimen. In patients without organ or life-threatening disease, mycophenolate mofetil can be used in combination with oral glucocorticoid therapy to induce remission, however, with a higher risk of relapse than when using rituximab or cyclophosphamide. For maintenance of remission, a tailored regimen of rituximab infusion was equivalent to a fixed regimen, with fewer perfusions. Belimumab, a human IgG1(Equation is included in full-text article.)monoclonal antibody against B-lymphocyte stimulator, did not decrease the relapse rate when added to azathioprine and glucocorticoids. Avacopan, a complement C5a receptor inhibitor, was effective in replacing high-dose glucocorticoids in achieving complete remission of vasculitis.

SUMMARY: Significant advances have been made in the treatment strategy to both induce remission and maintain remission in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis. The choice should take into consideration efficacy, cost-effectiveness, safety profile, ease of use, and possibility of individual tailoring of treatment.

PMID:32740376 | DOI:10.1097/MCP.0000000000000693

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