Infliximab versus Cyclophosphamide for Severe Behçet's Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Cyclophosphamide and infliximab are recommended as induction therapies for severe Behçet's syndrome. Whether infliximab is safer and more effective than cyclophosphamide in treating severe Behçet's syndrome is not known. METHODS: In this phase 2, Bayesian, multicenter randomized controlled trial, we assigned patients fulfilling the International Study Group's criteria for Behçet's syndrome who had major vascular or central nervous system involvement to receive either intravenous infliximab (5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, 6, 12, and 18) or cyclophosphamide (0.7 g/m2 intravenously at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, with a maximal dose of 1.2 g/infusion). All patients received the same glucocorticoid regimen. The primary outcome was complete response (clinical, biological, and radiological remission with a daily prednisone dose ≤0.1 mg/kg) at week 22. RESULTS: Between May 2018 and April 2021, 52 patients with severe Behçet's syndrome (n=37 [71%] with vascular Behçet's syndrome and n=15 [29%] with neuro-Behçet's syndrome) were randomly assigned to receive either infliximab or cyclophosphamide. Complete response was achieved by 22 out of 27 (81%) and 14 out of 25 (56%) patients in the infliximab and cyclophosphamide treatment groups, respectively (estimated difference, 29.8 percentage points; 95% credible interval, 6.6 to 51.7). The posterior probability that at least 70% of treated individuals achieved complete response by week 22 was 97.4% for infliximab and 6.0% for cyclophosphamide. Overall, adverse events were recorded in 8 out of 27 (29.6%) patients receiving infliximab and 16 out of 25 (64%) patients receiving cyclophosphamide (estimated difference, -32.3 percentage points; 95% credible interval, -55.2 to -6.6). Serious adverse events were reported in 15% and 12% of patients receiving infliximab and cyclophosphamide, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with severe Behçet's syndrome, induction therapy with infliximab had a superior complete response rate at 22 weeks and fewer adverse events than induction with cyclophosphamide. (Funded by the French Ministry of Health.).

Preventing hyperhomocysteinemia using vitamin B6 supplementation in Givosiran-treated acute intermittent porphyria: Highlights from a case report and brief literature review.

Acute hepatic porphyrias are inherited metabolic disorders of heme biosynthesis characterized by the accumulation of toxic intermediate metabolites responsible for disabling acute neurovisceral attacks. Givosiran is a newly approved siRNA-based treatment of acute hepatic porphyria targeting the first and rate-limiting δ-aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) enzyme of heme biosynthetic pathway. We described a 72-year old patient who presented with severe inaugural neurological form of acute intermittent porphyria evolving for several years which made her eligible for givosiran administration. On initiation of treatment, the patient developed a major hyperhomocysteinemia (>400 µmol/L) which necessitated to discontinue the siRNA-based therapy. A thorough metabolic analysis in the patient suggests that hyperhomocysteinemia could be attributed to a functional deficiency of cystathionine ß-synthase (CBS) enzyme induced by givosiran. Long-term treatment with vitamin B6, a cofactor of CBS, allowed to normalize homocysteinemia while givosiran treatment was maintained. We review the recently published cases of hyperhomocysteinemia in acute hepatic porphyria and its exacerbation under givosiran therapy. We also discuss the benefits of vitamin B6 supplementation in the light of hypothetic pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for hyperhomocysteinemia in these patients. Our results confirmed the importance of monitoring homocysteine metabolism and vitamin status in patients with acute intermittent porphyria in order to improve management by appropriate vitamin supplementation during givosiran treatment.

Efficacy and safety of Infliximab in systemic sarcoidosis according to GenPhenReSa organ-involvement phenotype: a retrospective study of 55 patients.

BACKGROUND: Infliximab is currently recommended as a third-line treatment for refractory sarcoidosis. Data in function of clinical phenotype are currently lacking. We evaluated patients' characteristics and responses to infliximab according to their GenPhenReSa cluster. METHODS: We evaluated clinical and biological characteristics of patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis who received infliximab between September 2008 and April 2019 at our centre. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (median disease duration, 87 months) received infliximab: 48 (87%) as a second- or third-line treatment, and 7 (13%) as a first-line treatment. After a median duration of 12 months, 24 (45%) and 14 (25%) patients achieved complete and partial responses, respectively, together with a significant decrease in the number of affected organs and tapering of steroid doses. All patients with neurosarcoidosis (OR 17), 90% in group 2 (ocular-cardiac-cutaneous-CNS, OR 7.4), and approximately two-thirds of those in groups 1 (abdominal organs), 4 (pulmonary-lympho-nodal), and 5 (extrapulmonary), achieved a response, whereas patients in group 3 (musculoskeletal-cutaneous) had a treatment-failure OR of 9. Infliximab could be stopped after complete remission was achieved in 7 patients: 4 relapsed after a median of 6 months. Overall, 36% of patients experienced serious adverse events, mainly infections, which led to treatment cessation in 29% of patients and caused two deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Other than patients with musculoskeletal-cutaneous involvement (group 3), infliximab led to a good response for patients with CNS (group 2) and liver (group 1) organ-predominant sarcoidosis. However, it led to serious infections and merely suspended sarcoidosis, so further research on factors predictive of relapse is needed.

Multisystem T-cell Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection: From the Eye to the Kidney.

Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (CAEBV) infection is usually a fatal disease associated with clonal proliferation of EBV-infected T or NK cells. We present the case of a 33-year-old Peruvian patient who developed a multisystem CAEBV, notably responsible for exceptional ophthalmological and renal damage. We describe the clinicopathological features of EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disorder.

Peripheral neuropathy and livedoid vasculopathy.

BACKGROUND: Livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is a chronic dermatosis associated with micro-thrombosis of the vessels of the dermis, leading to ischemic lesions and painful skin ulcerations of the lower limbs. This thrombosing occlusive vasculopathy, clearly distinct from 'classical vasculitis' (not related to alteration of vessel walls), may lead to peripheral neuropathy. OBJECTIVE: To clarify the main clinical, electrophysiological and pathological characteristics of peripheral neuropathy linked to LV. METHOD: We presented a series of personal cases of peripheral neuropathy due to LV. We also conducted a review of the literature (since the first description of LV in 1974) using multiple combinations of keywords from 'PubMed', 'Google Scholar' and 'ScienceDirect' databases according to the 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses' guidelines. RESULTS: We identified 16 patients (6 personal cases and 10 cases from the medical literature). Our personal cases were five females and one male, with a median age (at the onset of cutaneous signs of LV) of 38 (range 25-62). Several types of skin lesions of the lower limbs were observed. Median age at the onset of peripheral neuropathy symptoms was 48 years (range 29-66), with a main clinical and electrophysiological pattern of mononeuropathy multiplex. DISCUSSION: We observed a typical pattern of peripheral neuropathy, mostly mononeuropathy multiplex, whose pathophysiology might be related to occlusions of the small vessels of the nerves, as seen in the dermis. Moreover, LV may also be associated with other types of peripheral neuropathies (sometimes of autoimmune etiology) not directly related to the skin lesions. CONCLUSION: The 'ischemic form' of peripheral neuropathy linked to LV is mainly responsible for sensory disturbances (with multifocal distribution), sometimes for motor disturbances. This type of peripheral neuropathy has to be distinguished from 'classical vasculitic neuropathies' which are usually treated with antithrombotic therapies.

Selectins impair regulatory T cell function and contribute to systemic lupus erythematosus pathogenesis.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by a loss of tolerance toward self-nucleic acids, autoantibody production, interferon expression and signaling, and a defect in the regulatory T (Treg) cell compartment. In this work, we identified that platelets from patients with active SLE preferentially interacted with Treg cells via the P-selectin/P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) axis. Selectin interaction with PSGL-1 blocked the regulatory and suppressive properties of Treg cells and particularly follicular Treg cells by triggering Syk phosphorylation and an increase in intracytosolic calcium. Mechanistically, P-selectin engagement on Treg cells induced a down-regulation of the transforming growth factor-ß axis, altering the phenotype of Treg cells and limiting their immunosuppressive responses. In patients with SLE, we found an up-regulation of P- and E-selectin both on microparticles and in their soluble forms that correlated with disease activity. Last, blocking P-selectin in a mouse model of SLE improved cardinal features of the disease, such as anti-dsDNA antibody concentrations and kidney pathology. Overall, our results identify a P-selectin-dependent pathway that is active in patients with SLE and validate it as a potential therapeutic avenue.

The effects of Rituximab on Graves'orbitopathy: A retrospective study of 14 patients.

PURPOSE: Management of Graves' ophthalmopathy remains challenging. Over the last decade, previous studies have shown promising results for Rituximab in the treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy. We present the response of 14 individuals with active moderate-to-severe Graves' ophthalmopathy to Rituximab, representing one of the largest retrospective case series reported to date. METHODS: Rituximab was administered intravenously, 1000 mg twice at a 2-week interval. The primary end point was a clinical activity score reduction (improvement by ⩾ 2 points or disease inactivation: clinical activity score < 3) at 24 weeks. Secondary end points included clinical activity score improved by ⩾ 2 points or inactivation of Graves' ophthalmopathy at 12 weeks, improvement in each item of the clinical activity score, in proptosis, in severity disease by the total eye score and in diplopia according to the Gorman score. RESULTS: A limited improvement in clinical activity score was observed (median improvement at 24 weeks by 1 point, p = 0.002, (5/14 patients, 35.7%). Disease inactivation occurred in 50% of patients (7/14 patients). At 12 weeks, clinical activity score improved by ⩾ 2 points in 2/14 patients (14.3%) and inactivation of Graves' ophthalmopathy occurred in four patients (28.6%). Improvement in proptosis and total eye score was observed in 3/9 patients (33%) and in 4/14 patients (28.6%) at 24 weeks, respectively. Only one patient experienced moderate adverse event. CONCLUSION: Rituximab is a well-tolerated treatment with a good safety profile, but offered limited and partial improvement for active moderate-to-severe Graves' ophthalmopathy with a long duration of disease.

Efficacy of Anti-TNF-α Therapy for the Treatment of Non-infectious Uveitis: A Retrospective Study of 21 Patients.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of anti-TNF alpha (TNF-α) therapy in patients with non-infectious uveitis. METHODS: This was a monocentric observational study of 21 patients with non-infectious uveitis treated with anti-TNF-alpha. The primary endpoint was the control of ocular inflammation. The secondary endpoints included the study of macular thickness and visual acuity, changes in other treatments, and adverse effects. RESULTS: The etiologies of uveitis were Behçet disease (33.3%), birdshot (14.3%), sarcoidosis (9.5%), and idiopathic uveitis (42.9%). Ocular inflammation was controlled at 3 months for 80.9% of patients, at 6 months for 94.7%, at 12 months for 83.3%, and at >12 months for 86.7%. Central macular thickness improved from 452 µm at baseline to 307.5 µm at 12 months (p = 0.002). Visual acuity also improved from 0.51(logMAR) before treatment to 0.24 at 12 months. The mean daily dose of prednisone decreased from 19.7 mg before treatment to 5.2 mg at 12 months (p < 0.001). A total of 9.5% of patients experienced serious side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms the efficacy of anti-TNF for the control of short-term and long-term ocular inflammation, with high rates of complete clinical remission.

Primary dengue fever associated with hemophagocytic syndrome: a report of three imported cases, Bordeaux, France.

The dengue virus is responsible for a wide range of symptoms that can be classified into two distinct syndromes: classical dengue fever and severe dengue fever. Among the complicating forms, hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) has been previously reported in case series of patients with secondary dengue fever outside of endemic settings. Of note, the occurrence of HPS has not yet been included among the criteria for defining severe dengue fever. We herein present three patients with HPS related to confirmed primary dengue virus infection. Clinicians should therefore consider hemophagocytosis as a complication during severe dengue infection in naïve patients.

Cervical spondylitis and spinal abscess due to Actinomyces meyeri

Human actinomycosis with involvement of the spine is a rare condition although it has been first described a long time ago. It is probably underrecognized since its clinical presentation is often misleading and accurate bacteriological diagnosis is challenging. We herein report a rare case of cervical actinomycosis with paravertebral abscess and spondylitis imputed to an infection by Actinomyces meyeri in a 52-year-old immunocompetent Caucasian man. A. meyeri should be considered as a potential cause for subacute or chronic spondylitis, even in immunocompetent subjects. Modern diagnostic tools such as Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption–Ionization Time of Flight mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA sequencing are efficient for accurate microbiological identification.

Cervical spondylitis and spinal abscess due to Actinomyces meyeri.

Human actinomycosis with involvement of the spine is a rare condition although it has been first described a long time ago. It is probably underrecognized since its clinical presentation is often misleading and accurate bacteriological diagnosis is challenging. We herein report a rare case of cervical actinomycosis with paravertebral abscess and spondylitis imputed to an infection by Actinomyces meyeri in a 52-year-old immunocompetent Caucasian man. A. meyeri should be considered as a potential cause for subacute or chronic spondylitis, even in immunocompetent subjects. Modern diagnostic tools such as Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization Time of Flight mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA sequencing are efficient for accurate microbiological identification.

Efficacy and safety of rituximab in adults' warm antibody autoimmune haemolytic anemia: retrospective analysis of 27 cases.

To better assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab in adults' warm antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA), we conducted a retrospective study including 27 adults (mean age 49.7 +/- 21 years) with either primary (n = 17) or secondary (n = 10) wAIHA. On average, the patients received 2.1 +/- 1.4 treatment lines before rituximab and six had undergone splenectomy. Five patients were resistant to corticosteroids, 16 had a corticosteroid-dependent wAIHA and six had relapsed after an initial remission. Overall, 25/27 (93%) patients achieved an initial response from rituximab (eight complete responses and 17 partial responses). During a mean follow-up of 20.9 months after rituximab, five of the responders relapsed, three of whom were successfully retreated with rituximab. Two mild infusion-related-reactions occurred, one patient had a rituximab-related severe neutropenia and one case of pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia occurred in a severely immunocompromized patient. In conclusion, rituximab seems highly effective and relatively safe in adults with steroid-resistant or steroid-dependent wAIHA.

Rituximab Efficacy during a Refractory Polyarteritis Nodosa Flare.

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic vasculitis whose severe forms are treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide. Refractory patients are exposed to many complications, notably accelerated atherosclerosis. We report a case report of 71-year-old man followed for polyarteritis nodosa refractory to glucocorticoids and cyclosphosphamide. Systemic vasculitis relapses are followed to accelerated atherosclerosis: severe ischemic lesions led to amputation of lower limbs. Remission of refractory PAN is obtained with rituximab. Disappearance of biological inflammatory is allowed to regression of ischemic lesions in upper limbs. In this situation, we recommend a systematic vascular work-up for patients suffered from refractory vasculitis. On the other hand, therapeutic trials are needed to determine the real efficacy and place of rituximab in the treatment of polyarteritis nodosa.