Association between Routine Laboratory Parameters and the Severity and Progression of Systemic Sclerosis

(1) Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a heterogeneous connective tissue disease with a high mortality and morbidity rate. Identification of biomarkers that can predict the evolution of SSc is a key factor in the management of patients. The aim of this study was to assess the association of routine laboratory parameters, widely used in practice and easily available, with the severity and progression of SSc. (2) Methods: In this retrospective monocentric cohort study, 372 SSc patients were included. We gathered clinical and laboratory data including routine laboratory parameters: C-reactive-protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), complete blood count, serum sodium and potassium levels, creatinin, urea, ferritin, albumin, uric acid, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), serum protein electrophoresis, and liver enzymes. Associations between these routine laboratory parameters and clinical presentation and outcome were assessed. (3) Results: Median (interquartile range) age was 59.0 (50.0; 68.0) years. White blood cell, monocyte, and neutrophil absolute counts were significantly higher in patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc and with interstitial lung disease (ILD) (p < 0.001). CRP was significantly higher in patients with ILD (p < 0.001). Hemoglobin and ferritin were significantly lower in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) including pulmonary arterial hypertension and ILD associated PH (p = 0.016 and 0.046, respectively). Uric acid and NT pro BNP were significantly higher in patients with PH (<0.001). Monocyte count was associated with ILD progression over time. (4) Conclusions: Overall, our study highlights the association of routine laboratory parameters used in current practice with the severity and progression of SSc

Characteristics of patients with systemic sclerosis suffering from a lower limb amputation: Results of a French collaborative study

International audienceObjective:Systemic sclerosis mainly affects the microvascular network. However, macrovascular manifestations have been reported. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of systemic sclerosis patients with an amputation of a lower limb segment.Methods:We designed a retrospective, case-control, multicentric study on systemic sclerosis patients with amputation of a lower limb segment secondary to critical ischemia via the French Research Group on Systemic Sclerosis. For each case, a control (systemic sclerosis patient without lower limb symptom) was matched with sex, age (+/- 5 years), and cutaneous subset of systemic sclerosis.Results:In total, 26 systemic sclerosis patients (mean age of 67.2 +/- 10.9 years, 20 females, 21 limited cutaneous forms) with a lower limb amputation and 26 matched controls (mean age of 67.3 +/- 11.2 years, 20 females, 22 limited cutaneous forms) were included. At the time of amputation, the mean disease duration was 12.8 (+/- 8.6) years. In comparison to controls, systemic sclerosis patients with amputation had more digital ulcers (p = 0.048), history of digital ulcers (p = 0.026), and a higher prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (p = 0.024). Systemic sclerosis patients with amputation were more often smokers (p = 0.008) and under corticosteroids (p = 0.015). In the multivariate model, pulmonary arterial hypertension, smoking status, and corticosteroids were independent markers associated with lower limb amputation in systemic sclerosis. In the follow-up, 10 patients (38.5%) had recurrent ischemia requiring a new limb amputation, and five patients (19.2%) had an amputation of the contralateral limb.Conclusion:This study identifies some markers associated with lower limb amputation in systemic sclerosis such as digital ulcers and pulmonary arterial hypertension and points out the high risk associated with tobacco consumption and corticosteroid use

Off-Label Use Of Biological Therapies In Relapsing And/Or Refractory Polyarteritis Nodosa

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MYOSITIS IN PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY SJÖGREN’S SYNDROME: DATA FROM A FRENCH NATIONWIDE SURVEY

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Use of biologics to treat relapsing and/or refractory polyarteritis nodosa: data from a European collaborative study

OBJECTIVES: To describe the effectiveness and safety of biologics for the treatment of relapsing and/or refractory polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). METHODS: A retrospective European collaborative study was conducted in patients with PAN who received biologics for relapsing and/or refractory disease. RESULTS: Forty-two patients with PAN received a total of 53 biological courses, including TNF-alpha blockers in 15 cases, rituximab (RTX) in 18 cases, tocilizumab (TCZ) in 10 cases, and other biologics in 10 cases. TNF-alpha blockers and TCZ were mainly used for refractory diseases whereas RTX was mainly initiated for relapsing disease. After a median follow-up of 29 (8-50) months, remission occurred in 40%, partial response in 13%, treatment failure in 40% and treatment discontinuation due to severe adverse events in 7% of patients receiving TNF-alpha blockers, 50%, none, 30% and 20% of TCZ recipients, and 33%, 11%, 56% and none of the RTX recipients, respectively. No remission was noted in patients treated with other biologics. Severe adverse events were observed in 14 (28%) patients without significant differences between the 3 biologics, leading to early biologics discontinuation in only 3 cases. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that TCZ may be effective in relapsing and/or refractory PAN. Our data warrant further study to confirm these findings

A prospective study of the 6 min walk test as a surrogate marker for haemodynamics in two independent cohorts of treatment-naive systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension

International audienceObjectives Despite the wide use of the 6 min walk distance (6MWD), no study has ever assessed its validity as a surrogate marker for haemodynamics and predictor of outcome in isolated pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-PAH). We designed this work to address this issue. Methods Treatment-naive patients with SSc-PAH were prospectively included from two sources: the French PAH Network (a prospective epidemiological cohort) (n=83) and randomised clinical trials submitted for drug approval (Food and Drug Administration) (n=332). Correlations between absolute values of the 6MWD and haemodynamics at baseline, as well as between variations of 6MWD and haemodynamics during follow-up, were studied in both populations. Results In the French cohort, baseline cardiac output (CO) (R-2=0.19, p=0.001) and New York Heart Association class (R-2=0.10, pConclusions In SSc-PAH, CO independently correlates with 6MWD at baseline, but accounts for a small amount of the variance of 6MWD in both study samples. This suggests that other non-haemodynamic factors could have an impact on the walk distance. Moreover, variations of 6MWD do not reflect changes in haemodynamics among treated patients. Our results suggest that 6MWD is not an accurate surrogate marker for haemodynamic severity, nor an appropriate outcome measure to assess changes in haemodynamics during follow-up in treated SSc-PAH