Rapid induction of clinical remission by immunoadsorption for refractory lupus retinopathy complicated with life-threatening neuropsychiatric lupus

Comparison of the drug retention and reasons for discontinuation of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and interleukin-6 inhibitors in Japanese patients with elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis-the ANSWER cohort study

BACKGROUND

This multi-center, retrospective study aimed to clarify retention rates and reasons for discontinuation of either tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) or interleukin-6 inhibitors (IL-6i) in patients with elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA).

METHODS

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) enrolled in a Japanese multicenter observational registry between 2011 and 2020 were included. EORA was defined as RA with onset at 60 or over. To adjust confounding by indication for treatment with TNFi or IL-6i, a propensity score based on multiple baseline characteristics variables was used to compare the drug retention and causes for discontinuation between TNFi and IL-6i. Adjusted cumulative incidence of drug discontinuation for each reason was compared between the two groups using the Fine-Gray model.

RESULTS

Among a total of 9,550 patients in the registry, 674 TNFi and 297 IL-6i initiators with EORA were identified. Age, the proportion of females, disease duration, and baseline disease activity at the time of TNFi or IL-6i initiation were similar between the two groups. After adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups, overall drug discontinuation was significantly lower in the IL-6i as compared to the TNFi (HR = 0.71, 95%CI = 0.59-0.86, p < 0.001). The adjusted cumulative incidence of discontinuation due to lack of effectiveness was lower with the IL-6i (HR = 0.46, 95%CI = 0.33-0.63, p < 0.001) while those due to adverse events (HR = 0.82, 95%CI = 0.56-1.18, p = 0.28) or achievement of clinical remission (HR = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.62-1.91, p = 0.76) were similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In EORA patients initiating a TNFi or IL-6i, significantly higher drug retention was observed with IL-6i. Discontinuation due to lack of effectiveness was significantly less frequent in IL-6i while discontinuations due to adverse event or achievement of clinical remission were similar between the two groups.

Treatment of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus: clinical challenges and future perspectives

Introduction: Neuropsychiatric (NP) involvement represents an emerging frontier in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), posing significant challenges due to its clinical diversity and obscure pathophysiology. The authors herein discuss selected aspects in the management of NPSLE based on existing literature and our experience, aiming to facilitate routine medical care.Areas covered: Research related to diagnosis, neuroimaging, treatment and outcome is discussed, focusing on data published in PubMed during the last 5 years. Selected translational studies of clinical relevance are included.Expert opinion: Identification of NPSLE patients who may benefit from appropriate treatment can be facilitated by attribution algorithms. Immunosuppressants are typically indicated in recurrent seizures, optic neuritis, myelopathy, psychosis and peripheral nerve disease, although a low threshold is recommended for cerebrovascular disease and other NP manifestations, especially when SLE is active. With the exception of stroke with positive antiphospholipid antibodies, anti-coagulation is rarely indicated in other syndromes. Refractory NPSLE can be treated with rituximab, whereas the role of other biologics remains unknown. Advances in the fields of biomarkers, neuroimaging for brain structural, perfusion or functional abnormalities, and design of novel compounds targeting not only systemic autoimmunity but also inflammatory and regenerative pathways within the nervous system, hold promise for optimizing NPSLE management.

Meta-analysis on the efficacy and safety of immunoadsorption for systemic lupus erythematosus among Chinese population

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of immunoadsorption (IAS) versus non-IAS for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) among Chinese population. A meta-analysis was performed by all the literatures germane to estimate the SLE patients treated with IAS and non-IAS from published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 1990 to February 2020. Mean differences (MDs), relative ratios (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and the meta-analysis was conducted with Stata 12.0 software. A total of 18 RCTs involving 457 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis demonstrated that the IgG, Scr, Bun, ANA, 24-h urine protein, leptin, and TNF-α of IAS combined with a drug therapy group were lower than that of non-IAS, and the levels of C3 and C4 were higher than that of non-IAS after treatment in terms of laboratory parameters. In terms of adverse reactions, the incidence of fever or chills, low blood pressure, or bleeding risk was higher in the treatment group. However, there was no difference in the incidence of puncture point bleeding, thrombocytopenia, mild rash, death due to severe infection, tightness, palpitation, or chest tightness between the two groups. However, most of the adverse effects could be considered as tolerable after timely treatment. Our results indicate that IAS may be superior to non-IAS in treating SLE patients. However, due to the lower quality of included studies, high quality of multicenter, large sample size, randomized, and double-blind controlled trials are needed to validate the results.