Pituitary-adrenal function after prolonged glucocorticoid therapy for systemic inflammatory disorders: an observational study

CONTEXT

Glucocorticoid therapy is being used in a wide variety of systemic disorders. Reference papers, published more than 20 years ago, showed no correlation between adrenal insufficiency risk and dose or duration of glucocorticoid therapy.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to evaluate the extent to which long-term glucocorticoid therapy damages the pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with systemic inflammatory disorders.

DESIGN

We conducted a retrospective observational study from January 2011 to August 2012.

SETTING

This was a monocentric study at the Department of Internal Medicine, Bichat Hospital, Paris-Diderot University, Paris, France.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty consecutive patients who were receiving long-term prednisone therapy for systemic inflammatory disorders and in whom discontinuation of glucocorticoid treatment was planned.

INTERVENTION

A short Synacthen test was performed. A bolus of 0.25 mg 1-24-ACTH was injected in the morning, 24 hours after the most recent dose of prednisone. Cortisol was measured at baseline and 60 minutes after Synacthen injection.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We assessed frequency and risk estimate of pituitary-adrenal dysfunction.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine patients (48.3%) had adrenal insufficiency defined by a plasmatic cortisol <100 nmol/L (n = 13) at baseline (time 0) or <550 nmol/L (n = 16) 60 minutes after Synacthen injection. Cumulative dose (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.77 [95% confidence interval = 0.62-0.91], P = .007) and exposure (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.80 [95% confidence interval = 0.67-0.93], P = .002) to prednisone were predictive for adrenal insufficiency based on a T0 <100 nmol/L. Prednisone was stopped in 29 of 31 patients (93.5%) showing a normal response to short Synacthen test; none of these patients required hydrocortisone replacement with a mean follow-up of 10 (± 6) months.

CONCLUSION

Adrenal insufficiency is frequent in patients treated with long-term glucocorticoids for systemic inflammatory disorders and is related to duration and cumulative dose of steroids.

Multidimensional analysis of clinical symptoms in patients with Fabry's disease

AIM

Fabry's disease is an X-linked inherited lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficient activity of alpha-galactosidase A. The interrelationships between clinical symptoms in Fabry patients have not yet been fully established. Using cluster and multivariate analysis, the aim of the study was to determine the relationships among clinical symptoms and organ involvement, and predictive clinical symptoms for disease severity.

METHODS

Clinical data obtained from 108 French Fabry patients were retrospectively collected and analysed using multiple correspondence analysis and hierachical ascendant classification. Multivariate analysis was also performed to determine among clinical symptoms predictors for cardiac disease (HRT), renal involvement (KDN) and brain complication (STR).

RESULTS

The cohort comprised 41 male patients (aged 28.9 ± 11.6 years) and 67 female patients (aged 40.4 ± 15.5 years). Three main clusters of clinical symptoms could be delineated, characterising disease progression: the first cluster grouped digestive disorders (found in 30% of the patients) and exercise intolerance (32%), the second, cluster dyshidrosis (47%), acroparesthesia (67%), angiokeratoma (44%) and cornea verticillata (54%), the third, cluster grouped KDN (30%), HRT (39%) and STR (25%) and hearing loss (44%). In univariate analysis, the patient age predicted HRT and KDN, dyshidrosis predicted HRT and STR, angiokeratoma predicted KDN and cornea verticilla and hearing loss predicted KDN, HRT and STR. In multivariate analysis, hearing loss and age were independent predictors of organ complication.

CONCLUSION

Among the various interrelated clinical symptoms occurring in Fabry disease, patients with dyshidrosis and particularly hearing disorders appear to be at higher risk of organ complications.

[Auditory and vestibular findings in Fabry disease: a study of 25 patients]

PURPOSE

Fabry disease (FD, OMIM 301500) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder due to deficient activity of the enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. Males and females exhibit severe organ involvement. The high incidence of otological symptoms was recently reported.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Monocentric and retrospective study of twenty-five patients with FD (13 families; seven males and 18 females). The patients underwent audiological assessment before initiation and during enzyme replacement therapy. We also analysed neurologic heart and kidney status.

RESULTS

Twenty patients (80%; 13 females and seven males) complained of otologic symptoms. Audiological evaluation showed a sensorineural hearing loss in 17 patients, bilateral in 16 out of them. Vestibular examination showed a functional impairment in two patients (one female, one male). Correlations were found between hearing loss and either kidney disease (73,3%), neurological complications (100%) and cardiomyopathy (80%). Fourteen patients (56%; seven females, seven males) received enzyme replacement therapy. Improvement or stabilization of the audiological evaluation was reported in seven patients, whereas worsening was observed in three patients.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the high frequency of audiological involvements in females and males with FD. Our analysis suggests that the frequency of hearing loss is increased in the presence of renal or neurologic involvement or cardiomyopathy. There is no clinically significant efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy on hearing function. Although the pathophysiology remains unknown, a vascular mechanism responsible of the inner ear involvement seems to be privileged.

Imported acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related histoplasmosis in metropolitan France: a comparison of pre-highly active anti-retroviral therapy and highly active anti-retroviral therapy eras

Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum infection is rare outside disease-endemic areas. Clinical presentation and outcome of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related histoplasmosis are unknown in non-endemic areas with wide access to highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). Retrospective analysis of cases recorded at the French National Reference Center for Mycoses and Antifungals during two decades: pre-HAART (1985-1994) and HAART (1997-2006). Clinical features and outcome of all adults with proven acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related histoplasmosis were compared between the two periods. One hundred four patients were included (40 during the pre-HAART era and 64 during the HAART era). Diagnosis was established a mean of 62 days after onset of symptoms. One-year overall mortality rates decreased from 53% (pre-HAART era) to 22% (HAART era). Diagnosis during the pre-HAART era and an older age were the only independent factors associated with death. Histoplasmosis is a rare invasive fungal infection outside disease-endemic areas. Its prognosis improved significantly during the HAART era.

Association of sarcoidosis and immune thrombocytopenia: presentation and outcome in a series of 20 patients

The association of sarcoidosis and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) has rarely been investigated. The aim of the current retrospective study was to investigate the clinical and biological phenotypes and outcome of this association in a large series of recent patients. Twenty patients (50% men) were included. Median age at sarcoidosis and ITP diagnosis was 36 (range, 10-83 yr) and 38 (range, 21-83 yr) years, respectively. In 11 of 20 (55%) patients, sarcoidosis onset preceded ITP (median interval, 48 mo; range, 6-216 mo). In 5 of 20 (25%) patients, the 2 conditions occurred concomitantly. In 4 of 20 (20%) patients, ITP onset preceded sarcoidosis (median interval, 68 mo; range, 15-153 mo). In 4 cases, sarcoidosis and ITP were not concomitant, since 1 condition was cured before the other was declared. In 12 of 20 (60%) patients there was a simultaneous onset or relapse of both ITP and sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis phenotype was characterized by an acute onset in 40% of patients. The visceral involvement included thoracic sites in 19 of 20 (95%) patients and extrathoracic sites in 16 of 20 (80%) patients. At ITP onset, median platelet count was 11 × 10/L (range, 3-90); 17 (85%) patients had a platelet count <30 × 10/L. Seven (35%) patients had a bleeding score >8 without visceral bleeding.Nineteen of the 20 (95%) patients were treated specifically for ITP. After the first-line therapy (prednisone at 1 mg/kg per day for at least 3 consecutive weeks in all patients; with IVIg in addition for 10 patients with severe bleeding score), 12 of 19 (63%) patients achieved a complete response, 6 (31.5%) had a partial response, and only 1 patient failed to respond. At the end of ITP follow-up (median, 70 mo; range, 12-142 mo), 18 (90%) patients achieved a complete response, 1 achieved a partial response, and 1 had no response. After a median follow-up of 105 months, 13 of 20 (65%) patients had persistent sarcoidosis requiring prolonged therapy, and thus sarcoidosis represented the main long-term concern. Main conclusions were 1) ITP presentation was usually severe, but response to treatment was favorable in almost all cases, with no death and no severe bleeding, in contrast with older reports, 2) sarcoidosis was remarkable for the high proportion of cases with an acute onset, a chronic course, and the need for prolonged prednisone therapy, 3) sarcoidosis and ITP onset and evolution were not always synchronous.

Fabry disease 'The New Great Imposter': results of the French Observatoire in Internal Medicine Departments (FIMeD)

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder due to α-galactosidase A deficiency. It is associated with a broad range of clinical symptoms, resulting in frequent misdiagnosis and diagnostic delay, which may impact on patient outcomes. This retrospective observational study of 58 FD patients referred to 10 internal medicine departments in France aimed to review differential diagnoses received prior to diagnosis and examines diagnostic delay. The average age at the time of diagnosis was 27.6 years (range: 10-60) and 42.2 years (range: 9-77) among the 23 males and 35 females analyzed, respectively. Most common symptoms that led to FD diagnosis were family history of FD (12 males and 27 females), followed by pain in extremities (10 males and 5 females), and angiokeratoma (8 males and 4 females). Eighteen patients had received alternative diagnoses prior to FD diagnosis, including a female patient with four previous diagnoses. Four case reports are presented, which illustrate the diagnostic 'odyssey' and delayed diagnosis often experienced by patients. Clinicians should consider a diagnosis of FD when presented with a wide range of symptoms, thus helping to shorten the diagnostic delay and facilitating early therapy with enzyme replacement therapy to improve patient outcomes.

Distal muscle involvement in granulomatous myositis can mimic inclusion body myositis

The authors report on four patients aged over 50 with chronic myopathy suggestive of sporadic inclusion body myositis. They present progressive and selective weakness of the quadriceps femoris muscles. Asymmetrical and selective atrophy of the forearm muscles were noted in all, with more severe involvement of the flexors than the extensors. Biopsy revealed granulomatous myositis. Histological features of sporadic inclusion body myositis were lacking. Evidence for systemic sarcoidosis was found in one patient. Corticosteroid treatment was associated with a partial but significant improvement in two patients. Granulomatous myositis may mimic inclusion body myositis and may be steroid-responsive.

Asymptomatic myocardial ischemic disease in antiphospholipid syndrome: a controlled cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study

OBJECTIVE

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) may cause coronary thrombosis. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of silent myocardial disease in patients with APS, using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI).

METHODS

Twenty-seven consecutive patients with APS and 81 control subjects without known cardiovascular disease underwent CMRI. The prevalence of occult myocardial ischemic disease, as revealed by LGE, was compared between patients with APS and controls, and factors associated with myocardial disease were identified in patients with APS.

RESULTS

Myocardial ischemic disease, as characterized by LGE on CMRI, was present in 8 (29.6%) of 27 patients with APS, and imaging with LGE showed a typical pattern of myocardial infarction (MI) in 3 patients (11.1%). The myocardial scarring revealed on CMRI was not detected by electrocardiography or echocardiography. Although both patients with APS and control subjects shared a low risk of cardiovascular events, as calculated with the Framingham risk equation (mean +/- SD 5.1 +/- 8.2% and 6.5 +/- 7.6%, respectively, for the absolute risk within the next 10 years; P = 0.932), the prevalence of myocardial ischemia was more than 7 times higher in patients with APS (P = 0.0006 versus controls). No association was found between myocardial disease in patients with APS and classic coronary risk factors. The presence of myocardial scarring tended to be more closely associated with specific features of APS, such as duration of the disease, presence of livedo, and positivity for anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I antibodies.

CONCLUSION

The finding of a significant and unexpectedly high prevalence of occult myocardial scarring in patients with APS indicates the usefulness of CMRI with LGE for the identification of silent myocardial disease in such patients.

Enzyme therapy in Fabry disease: severe adverse events associated with anti-agalsidase cross-reactive IgG antibodies

AIMS

To report a severe adverse event related to enzyme replacement therapy with agalsidase in an hemizygous male patient treated for Fabry disease.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of clinical, radiological and biochemical data in a patient who suffered adverse events related to both agalsidase alfa and agalsidase beta treatments.

RESULTS

A hemizygous male patient was first treated for Fabry disease with agalsidase alfa. After more than 1 year of therapy, infusion-related symptoms necessitated systemic steroids and antihistaminic therapy. Decline in kidney function prompted a switch for agalsidase beta. Anaphylactoid shock occurred after the second infusion. No serum IgE antibodies were disclosed. Skin-test reactivity to agalsidase beta was negative. Following a published rechallenge infusion protocol, agalsidase beta was reintroduced, leading to a second anaphylactoid shock episode. Enzyme replacement therapy was stopped and the patient was treated with symptomatic therapy only. This case was referred to the pharmacovigilance department.

CONCLUSION

The negativity of immunological tests (specific anti-agalsidase IgE antibodies and skin tests) does not rule out the risk of repeated anaphylactoid shock following agalsidase infusion.