[Treatment of ANCA-associated vascularitides].

Abstract

Treatment for ANCA-associated vasculitides is now well defined, but must be adjusted for each patient according to the type of vasculitis, its precise form (e.g., limited versus systemic Wegener's granulomatosis) and severity, and patients' characteristics, such as age and renal function. The therapeutic decision must also take into account the risk of adverse events inherent to each treatment. The efficacy of adequate induction treatment has been demonstrated: more than 80% of patients now achieve remission. Relapse rates nonetheless remain high, especially in Wegener's granulomatosis. Patients with microscopic polyangiitis or Churg-Strauss syndrome with no poor prognostic factors can be treated with corticosteroids alone, with immunosuppressants added only in case of treatment failure. Patients with Wegener's granulomatosis or microscopic polyangiitis or Churg-Strauss syndrome and one or more poor prognostic factors must receive a combination of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, mainly intravenous pulsed cyclophosphamide. Plasma exchange is indicated as an adjuvant therapy for patients with severe renal involvement. Once remission is achieved, maintenance therapy can replace cyclophosphamide by a less toxic immunosuppressive drug, such as azathioprine or methotrexate. For these latter patients, the optimal duration of induction therapy remains to be determined, but should not be shorter than 18 months. Conversely, there is no need to prescribe high-dose corticosteroids for months. Prednisone must be started at 1 mg/kg/d then rapidly tapered so that patients are not receiving more than 15 mg/d after 3-4 months of therapy. Biological therapies also appear to have a place in the therapeutic armamentarium for ANCA-associated systemic vasculitides, at least for patients whose disease is refractory to conventional therapy. However, the precise indications for anti-TNFalpha or anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies and their optimal regimens (doses and durations) have not yet been defined. Anti-IL5, interferon-alpha and anti-IgE monoclonal antibodies might also be useful for Churg-Strauss syndrome. These biologics must be prescribed extremely cautiously and only in trial settings, especially in view of the adverse effects, few but severe, recently been reported with them.

• Authors: Loïc Guillevin, Christian Pagnoux
• Journal: Presse medicale (Paris, France : 1983) (Presse Med) Vol. 36 Issue 5 Pt 2 Pg. 922-7 (May 2007) ISSN: 0755-4982 [Print] France
• Vernacular Title: Traitement des vascularites systémiques associées aux ANCA.
• PMID: 17408912 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, English Abstract, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones
• Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
• Immunoglobulins, Intravenous
• Immunologic Factors
• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Interleukin-5
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Rituximab
• Cyclophosphamide
• Infliximab
• Azathioprine
• Prednisone
• Methotrexate

Topics

• Adrenal Cortex Hormones (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
• Azathioprine (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Biological Therapy
• Churg-Strauss Syndrome (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Cyclophosphamide (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulins, Intravenous (therapeutic use)
• Immunologic Factors (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Immunosuppressive Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Infliximab
• Interleukin-5 (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Methotrexate (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Plasma Exchange
• Prednisone (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Prognosis
• Prospective Studies
• Remission Induction
• Rituximab
• Time Factors
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Vasculitis (diagnosis, drug therapy)