Objective: Management of nonviral cryoglobulinemia vasculitis has yet to be defined. Rituximab has emerged as a novel and promising therapeutic alternative, but data are scarce. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of rituximab in nonviral cryoglobulinemia vasculitis in off-trial real-life patients.
Methods: Prospective data from the French AutoImmunity and Rituximab (AIR) registry, which includes data on patients with autoimmune disorders treated with rituximab in off-label conditions, were analyzed.
Results: Twenty-three patients received treatment with rituximab for cryoglobulinemia vasculitis. Tolerance was marked by the occurrence of side effects in almost half of the patients, including severe infections in 6 (26%) of 23, with a rate of 14.1 per 100 patient-years. These infections occurred in a particular subset of patients ages>70 years, with essential type II mixed cryoglobulinemia and renal failure with a glomerular filtration rate of <60 ml/minute, and receiving high-dose corticosteroids. Three of these patients died. In contrast, clinical and immunologic efficacy was noted in all evaluable patients. Clinical relapses occurred in half of the patients after a median time of 13.5 months following rituximab administration, and were more frequent in patients refractory to previous immunosuppressive therapy than in previously untreated patients.
Conclusion: Data from the AIR registry show a dramatic efficacy and a steroid-sparing effect of rituximab, but also show the occurrence of severe infections in elderly patients with renal failure and high-dose steroids. The role of rituximab in nonviral cryoglobulinemia vasculitis remains to be defined in well-designed randomized controlled trials.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/acr.20318 | DOI Listing |
J Clin Med
January 2025
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, European Hospital Georges Pompidou, 75015 Paris, France.
: Cryoglobulinemia (CG) syndrome is a heterogeneous condition characterized by the presence of cryoglobulins in serum, often leading to vasculitis with protean clinical manifestations. Understanding the presentation of cryoglobulinemia-related symptoms based on cryoprecipitate levels, GC type, and severity at diagnosis is essential for effective management. Hence, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of patients with positive cryoglobulin detection to investigate these aspects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Nephrology, Ibn Sina Hospital, Rabat, Rabat, MAR.
Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis is a rare small-vessel vasculitis leading to multi-organ dysfunction, often associated with chronic infections like hepatitis C virus (HCV), and autoimmune disorders. Most cases involve mixed monoclonal or polyclonal immunoglobulins, presenting symptoms such as purpura, arthralgias, and weakness. Severe organ involvement, particularly cardiac, is rare but potentially life-threatening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCureus
December 2024
Pulmonology, Israeli-Georgian Multiprofile Medical Center "Healthycore", Tbilisi, GEO.
This study describes a 64-year-old female with a history of hepatitis C and cryoglobulinemia, who presented with respiratory symptoms, including dry cough, shortness of breath, and fever, alongside joint pain and fatigue. Initial workup revealed interstitial pneumonia, supported by chest imaging, and the patient was treated for pneumonia with standard antibiotic therapy. Despite no renal involvement, a hallmark of cryoglobulinemia, further testing confirmed elevated serum cryoglobulin levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCEN Case Rep
January 2025
Department of Nephrology and Dialysis, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 35-2 Sakae-Cho, Itabashi, Tokyo, 173-0015, Japan.
Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther
January 2025
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milan, Italy.
Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a significant global health burden, particularly due to its extrahepatic immune-mediated manifestations, such as mixed cryoglobulinemia, associated vasculitis (CryoVas), and non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma (B-NHL), which pose significant challenges. The advent of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) has changed the therapeutic landscape for HCV-related complications.
Areas Covered: This review explores the evolving epidemiology and management of HCV extrahepatic manifestation and lymphoproliferative disorders in the era of DAAs.
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