Metabolic features and glucocorticoid-induced comorbidities in patients with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica in a Dutch and Danish cohort

OBJECTIVES: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are age-associated inflammatory diseases that frequently overlap. Both diseases require long-term treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs), often associated with comorbidities. Previous population-based cohort studies reported that an unhealthier metabolic profile might prevent the development of GCA. Here, we report metabolic features before start of treatment and during treatment in patients with GCA and PMR. METHODS: In the Dutch GCA/PMR/SENEX (GPS) cohort, we analysed metabolic features and prevalence of comorbidities (type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, obesity and cataract) in treatment-naïve patients with GCA (n=50) and PMR (n=42), and compared those with the population-based Lifelines cohort (n=91). To compare our findings in the GPS cohort, we included data from patients with GCA (n=52) and PMR (n=25) from the Aarhus cohort. Laboratory measurements, comorbidities and GC use were recorded for up to 5 years in the GPS cohort. RESULTS: Glycated haemoglobin levels tended to be higher in treatment-naïve patients with GCA, whereas high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol levels were lower compared with the Lifelines population. Data from the Aarhus cohort were aligned with the findings obtained in the GPS cohort. Presence of comorbidities at baseline did not predict long-term GC requirement. The incidence of diabetes, obesity and cataract among patients with GCA increased upon initiation of GC treatment. CONCLUSION: Data from the GCA and PMR cohorts imply a metabolic dysregulation in treatment-naïve patients with GCA, but not in patients with PMR. Treatment with GCs led to the rise of comorbidities and an unhealthier metabolic profile, stressing the need for prednisone-sparing targeted treatment in these vulnerable patients

Angiopoietin-2/-1 ratios and MMP-3 levels as an early warning sign for the presence of giant cell arteritis in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) remains difficult. Due to its non-specific symptoms, it is challenging to identify GCA in patients presenting with symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), which is a more common disease. Also, commonly used acute-phase markers CRP and ESR fail to discriminate GCA patients from PMR and (infectious) mimicry patients. Therefore, we investigated biomarkers reflecting vessel wall inflammation for their utility in the accurate diagnosis of GCA in two international cohorts. METHODS: Treatment-naïve GCA patients participated in the Aarhus AGP cohort (N = 52) and the Groningen GPS cohort (N = 48). The AGP and GPS biomarker levels and symptoms were compared to patients presenting phenotypically as isolated PMR, infectious mimicry controls and healthy controls (HCs). Serum/plasma levels of 12 biomarkers were measured by ELISA or Luminex. RESULTS: In both the AGP and the GPS cohort, we found that weight loss, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and higher angiopoietin-2/-1 ratios but lower matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 levels identify concomitant GCA in PMR patients. In addition, we confirmed that elevated platelet counts are characteristic of GCA but not of GCA mimicry controls and that low MMP-3 and proteinase 3 (PR3) levels may help to discriminate GCA from infections. CONCLUSION: This study, performed in two independent international cohorts, consistently shows the potential of angiopoietin-2/-1 ratios and MMP-3 levels to identify GCA in patients presenting with PMR. These biomarkers may be used to select which PMR patients require further diagnostic workup. Platelet counts may be used to discriminate GCA from GCA look-alike patients. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-022-02754-5

How does neopatrimonialism affect the African state? The case of tax collection in Zambia

Following the neopatrimonialism paradigm, it can be hypothesised that in African states informal politics of the rulers infringe on the collection of taxes and in turn reduce state revenue. This article tests this proposition for the case of Zambia. Neopatrimonial continuity in the country is evidenced by three factors : the concentration of political power, the award of personal favours, and the misuse of state resources. Despite this continuity, the revenue performance increased considerably with the creation of the semi-autonomous Zambia Revenue Authority. Donor pressure has been the most important intervening variable accounting for this improvement. Yet, strengthening the collection of central state revenue has been consistent with a neopatrimonial rationale, and may even have fed neopatrimonialism overall, by providing increased resources for particularistic expenditure

Metabolic features and glucocorticoid-induced comorbidities in patients with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica in a Dutch and Danish cohort

OBJECTIVES: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are age-associated inflammatory diseases that frequently overlap. Both diseases require long-term treatment with glucocorticoids (GCs), often associated with comorbidities. Previous population-based cohort studies reported that an unhealthier metabolic profile might prevent the development of GCA. Here, we report metabolic features before start of treatment and during treatment in patients with GCA and PMR. METHODS: In the Dutch GCA/PMR/SENEX (GPS) cohort, we analysed metabolic features and prevalence of comorbidities (type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension, obesity and cataract) in treatment-naïve patients with GCA (n=50) and PMR (n=42), and compared those with the population-based Lifelines cohort (n=91). To compare our findings in the GPS cohort, we included data from patients with GCA (n=52) and PMR (n=25) from the Aarhus cohort. Laboratory measurements, comorbidities and GC use were recorded for up to 5 years in the GPS cohort. RESULTS: Glycated haemoglobin levels tended to be higher in treatment-naïve patients with GCA, whereas high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein and cholesterol levels were lower compared with the Lifelines population. Data from the Aarhus cohort were aligned with the findings obtained in the GPS cohort. Presence of comorbidities at baseline did not predict long-term GC requirement. The incidence of diabetes, obesity and cataract among patients with GCA increased upon initiation of GC treatment. CONCLUSION: Data from the GCA and PMR cohorts imply a metabolic dysregulation in treatment-naïve patients with GCA, but not in patients with PMR. Treatment with GCs led to the rise of comorbidities and an unhealthier metabolic profile, stressing the need for prednisone-sparing targeted treatment in these vulnerable patients