Risk of disease flares after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

This study aims to elucidate the effectiveness and safety of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We enrolled uninfected SLE patients who received two vaccine doses (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273) and historical unvaccinated patients. Neutralizing antibodies, adverse reactions, and disease flares were evaluated 4 weeks after the second vaccination. Ninety patients were enrolled in each group. Among the vaccinated patients, SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and prednisolone doses before vaccination were 2, and 5 mg/d, respectively. After the second vaccination, 19 (21.1%) had no neutralizing antibodies. Adverse reactions occurred in 88.9% within 3 d. Negative antibodies were associated with anemia and mycophenolate mofetil administration. SLEDAI increased modestly but significantly after vaccination, with 13 (14.4%) experiencing flares and 4 (4.4%) severe flares (nephritis in three and vasculitis in one). The flare rate was higher in vaccinated patients than unvaccinated controls. The mean duration between the second vaccination and flares was 35 d, and flares occurred at least 8 days after vaccination. Multivariable analysis showed that high SLEDAI and anti-dsDNA antibodies were associated with flares. The vaccine type, neutralizing antibody titer, and adverse reaction frequency did not affect flares. Therefore, residual disease activity before vaccination increases flare risk.

Sarcopenia in patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases.

AIM: To investigate the impact of high-dose glucocorticoid therapy on sarcopenia in hospitalized patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). METHODS: We included patients with RMDs who were hospitalized between 2020 and 2022 for remission induction treatment and collected information on skeletal mass index (SMI) before high-dose glucocorticoid therapy and 1 month later. We divided the patients into 2 groups according to the progression of sarcopenia, defined as a >10% decrease in SMI, and compared their clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were included in this analysis. The mean age was 53.3 years, 73.5% were female, and the mean SMI was 5.3 kg/m2 . Before treatment, 83.7% had already met the definition of sarcopenia, and 57.1% experienced further sarcopenia progression after 1 month of high-dose glucocorticoid treatment. Patients with sarcopenia progression were predominantly male (P = 0.025), had a higher body weight (P = 0.048), and showed a higher SMI than those without sarcopenia at baseline (P = 0.008). Multivariable analysis revealed that body weight increase from 0 to week 1 of high-dose glucocorticoid treatment was associated with sarcopenia progression (odds ratio: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.04-0.61, P = 0.007) with a cut-off of -1.8 kg. During a mean observation period of 30.2 days, the incidence of infection was significantly higher in patients with progressive sarcopenia (P = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: One-month hospitalization with high-dose glucocorticoid therapy is associated with sarcopenia progression in patients with RMDs. An early decrease in body weight can be used to predict muscle volume loss.

Deep remission within 12 months prevents renal flare and damage accrual in lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the significance of achieving deep remission by induction therapy in lupus nephritis (LN) patients. METHODS: We assessed consecutive patients undergoing induction therapy for active LN. Achievement of complete renal response (CR) was defined as a urine protein creatinine ratio (UPCR) ≤0.5 g/gCr, and deep remission (DR) was defined as a UPCR ≤0.15 g/gCr with stabilisation of serum creatinine levels assessed every 2-3 months. We compared renal flare and damage accrual rates among patients with CR, CR without DR, and DR at 3, 6, and 12 months and later. RESULTS: Fifty-nine Asian patients were enrolled, and the median observation period was 48.6 months. Of these, 55 patients achieved CR, and 33 achieved DR within 12 months of receiving induction therapy. The patients with DR within 12 months experienced a significantly lower rate of subsequent renal flare (p<0.001) and damage accrual (p=0.046) than those without CR, those with DR after 12 months, and those with no DR but CR within 12 months. In addition, younger age, shorter disease duration, lower urine protein at baseline, and earlier renal response were associated with DR within 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Achievement of DR within 12 months after induction therapy should be a treatment target for active LN, as it has implications for preventing renal flare and damage accrual.

Decreased chronic kidney disease in rheumatoid arthritis in the era of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.

Background: We investigated the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and its factors relevant to patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: We enrolled consecutive patients with RA who had initiated treatment with a biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (bDMARD) at our institution and continued the same drug for >5 years between 2001 and 2016. Patients with CKD at bDMARD initiation were excluded. C-reactive protein (CRP) level, Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score and estimated glomerular filtration rate were measured every 6 months. Results: We included 423 patients, with 196 on tumour necrosis factor inhibitors, 190 on tocilizumab and 37 on abatacept. Among these patients, 34 (8.0%) progressed to CKD within 5 years. The mean CRP level and CDAI score over 5 years were significantly lower in patients without CKD progression than in those with CKD progression (P < .001 and P = .008, respectively). Multivariable analysis revealed that age at bDMARD initiation [odds ratio (OR) 1.05, P = .002], non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use (OR 3.47, P = .004) and mean CRP >0.14 mg/dL (OR 5.89, P = .015) were independently associated with CKD progression, while tocilizumab use was associated with a decreased risk of CKD progression (OR 0.31, P = .027). Conclusions: Controlling inflammation contributes to the inhibition of CKD progression in RA patients.

Lupus low disease activity state within 12 months is associated with favourable outcomes in severely active systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the significance of the time to attain lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) after remission induction therapy in patients with severely active SLE. METHODS: We enrolled 79 patients starting prednisolone ≥0.4 mg/kg/day for active lupus with a BILAG 2004 index of A ≥ 1 or B ≥ 2, or for severe flare based on the Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-SLE Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI). The time to LLDAS attainment was divided into ≤6, 6-12 and >12 months and non-LLDAS; associations between the timing of LLDAS and flares, damage accrual and ≥50% LLDAS attainment were examined. RESULTS: The mean SLEDAI was 17; median starting dose of prednisolone, 0.95 mg/kg/day; and mean observational period, 39.7 months. Six (7.6%) and 41 (51.9%) patients achieved LLDAS within 6 and 12 months. Patients with a shorter time to LLDAS achievement were more likely to spend ≥50% of the time in LLDAS and had a lower cumulative prednisolone dose; no differences were observed in damage accrual. Patients requiring longer than 12 months to achieve LLDAS had a higher prevalence of thrombocytopenia and those with non-LLDAS had lower renal function and a higher starting dose of prednisolone and steroid pulse therapy than those who achieved LLDAS within 12 months. CONCLUSION: Achieving LLDAS within 12 months of induction therapy may be favourable in patients with severely active SLE. The low frequency of LLDAS attainment in high-risk populations highlights the need for a new strategy for SLE treatment.

Early combination of pulmonary vasodilators prevents chronic kidney disease progression in connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary hypertension.

AIM: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are interdependent for their development and exacerbation. We evaluated the effect of PH on CKD progression in patients with connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated PH. METHODS: We reviewed consecutive patients with CTD who were diagnosed with PH with right heart catheter (RHC) examinations in our hospital. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the use of vasodilators: monotherapy or combination therapy. We further divided the patients with combination therapy into early and non-early combination groups. Early combination was defined as the addition of the second vasodilator within 1 month after starting the first drug. The clinical course of hemodynamics and CKD progression were compared. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were included in the analysis: 10 were treated with monotherapy and 28 with combination therapy (14 with early and 14 with non-early). At baseline, patients who received combination therapy had a significantly higher mean pulmonary arterial pressure with RHC and a higher right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) with echocardiography (P = .04) and showed a greater improvement in RVSP after treatment than those who underwent monotherapy. The incidence of CKD progression was significantly lower in patients who received combination therapy than in those who received monotherapy (P = .05). Among patients who received combination therapy, the early combination group had a lower incidence of CKD progression than the non-early combination group (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Early combination therapy is associated with a lower incidence of CKD progression in patients with CTD-associated PH.