Publications by authors named "Blockmans D"
Article Synopsis
- This study aimed to assess how giant cell arteritis (GCA) presents and its outcomes for patients with and without large vessel vasculitis (LVV) while considering the severity of LVV.
- Out of 238 GCA patients analyzed, 71% had LVV, with younger ages and a higher proportion of females observed among LVV patients; those without polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) symptoms had a higher risk of relapse and a lower chance of stopping glucocorticoids compared to those with PMR symptoms.
- The findings suggest that LVV is a relapse risk factor in GCA patients without PMR symptoms, with a greater relapse risk linked to a
Objectives: To evaluate differences in presentation and outcome of giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients with and without polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) symptoms.
Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed with GCA between 2000 and 2020 and followed for ≥12 months at the University Hospitals Leuven (Belgium), were included retrospectively.
Results: We included 398 GCA patients, of which 181 (45%) with PMR symptoms.
Background: Giant cell arteritis is an age-related vasculitis that mainly affects the aorta and its branches in individuals aged 50 years and older. Current options for diagnosis and treatment are scarce, highlighting the need to better understand its underlying pathogenesis. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have emerged as a powerful tool for unravelling the pathogenic mechanisms involved in complex diseases.
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- * It evaluated 106 GCA patients over a maximum of 10 years, with 88 repeat PET scans showing that most scans were conducted during either relapse or remission periods.
- * Results indicated a strong association between positive PET scans at diagnosis and follow-up with the occurrence of thoracic aortic aneurysms, suggesting that ongoing vascular inflammation may play a role, although further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Article Synopsis
- Two recent studies found that 22-23% of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) patients may have subclinical vasculitis, prompting an evaluation of its prevalence and characteristics in a specific patient group.
- In a study of 337 PMR patients, 9% were found to have subclinical vasculitis, mostly involving large vessels, with these patients receiving higher doses of glucocorticoids (GC) for up to a year post-diagnosis, but no significant differences in relapse rates.
- The study concluded the need for further research to understand the outcomes of PMR patients with versus without subclinical vasculitis under similar treatment protocols.
Background: Patients with inflammation of unknown origin (IUO) and fever of unknown origin (FUO) are commonly considered a single population. Differences in underlying causes between both groups may steer the diagnostic work-up.
Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.
Despite the low prevalence of each rare disease, the total burden is high. Patients with rare diseases encounter numerous barriers, including delayed diagnosis and limited access to high-quality treatments. In order to tackle these challenges, the European Commission launched the European Reference Networks (ERNs), cross-border networks of healthcare providers and patients representatives.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecommendations for early referral of individuals with suspected polymyalgia rheumatica: an initiative from the international giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica study group.
Ann Rheum Dis
October 2024
Objective: To develop international consensus-based recommendations for early referral of individuals with suspected polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).
Methods: A task force including 29 rheumatologists/internists, 4 general practitioners, 4 patients and a healthcare professional emerged from the international giant cell arteritis and PMR study group. The task force supplied clinical questions, subsequently transformed into Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome format.
Background: Previous studies have shown that patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) who have vascular F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake at diagnosis are at increased risk for thoracic aortic complications.
Objective: To measure the association between vascular FDG uptake at diagnosis and the change in aortic dimensions.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Article Synopsis
- The EULAR updated its recommendations for imaging techniques in diagnosing and monitoring primary large vessel vasculitis (LVV), incorporating recent research and expert consensus.
- A systematic review highlighted ultrasound as the primary imaging method for suspected giant cell arteritis, while MRI is favored for Takayasu arteritis, with other modalities like FDG-PET and CT as alternatives.
- Although routine follow-up imaging is not mandated, specific imaging techniques can be used to evaluate relapses or long-term structural damage when standard inflammation markers are unreliable.
ObjectiveMultiple spliceosome components are known autoantigens in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Here we aim to identify new and characterize rare anti-spliceosomal autoantibodies in patients with SSc without known autoantibody specificity. MethodsSera that precipitated spliceosome subcomplexes, as detected by immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS), were identified from a database of 106 patients with SSc without known autoantibody specificity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: To estimate the diagnostic accuracy of combined cranial and large vessel imaging by PET/CT, ultrasound and MRI for giant cell arteritis (GCA).
Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science databases were searched from inception till August 31, 2022. Studies were included if they involved patients with suspected GCA and assessed the diagnostic accuracy of combined cranial and large vessel imaging by PET/CT, ultrasound or MRI with the final clinical diagnosis as reference standard.
Background: Since the publication of the EULAR recommendations for the management of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) in 2016, several randomised clinical trials have been published that have the potential to change clinical care and support the need for an update.
Methods: Using EULAR standardised operating procedures, the EULAR task force undertook a systematic literature review and sought opinion from 20 experts from 16 countries. We modified existing recommendations and created new recommendations.
Objective: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) is an important imaging technique in the workup of fever of unknown origin (FUO) and inflammation of unknown origin (IUO). Studies comparing the diagnostic yield of 18F-FDG PET between both entities are lacking.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of FUO/IUO patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET between 2000 and 2019 in the University Hospitals of Leuven (Belgium).
A high prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in COVID-19 has been insinuated, but the nature of the target antigens is poorly understood. We studied ANA by indirect immunofluorescence in 229 individuals with COVID-19. The target antigens of high titer ANA (≥1:320) were determined by immunoprecipitation (IP) combined with liquid-chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: In up to 20% of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) no known autoantibody specificity can be identified. Recently discovered autoantigens, such as telomeric repeat binding factor 1 (TERF1), as well as established autoantigens, like RuvBL1/2, are associated with telomere and telomerase biology. We aimed to identify new telomere- and telomerase-associated autoantigens in patients with SSc without known autoantibody specificity.
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