Background: Utilizing the traditional centers of excellence approach to conduct clinical trials involving rare diseases remains challenging. Patient-based registries have been shown to be both feasible and valid in several other diseases.

Objective: This report outlines the clinical characteristics of a large internet registry cohort of participants with a self-reported diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis or microscopic polyangiitis.

Methods: Patients with a self-reported diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis or microscopic polyangiitis in an internet-based prospective longitudinal cohort (from the Vasculitis Patient-Powered Research Network) were included. Data on symptoms, diagnostic testing, and treatment were collected using standardized questionnaires.

Results: The study compared patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (n=762) and patients with microscopic polyangiitis (n=164). Of the cohort, 97.7% (904/925) reported the diagnosis had been confirmed by a physician. Compared to microscopic polyangiitis, patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis reported significantly more ear, nose, and throat manifestations (granulomatosis with polyangiitis: 641/723, 88.7%; microscopic polyangiitis: 89/164, 54.3%; z=10.42, P<.001), fevers (granulomatosis with polyangiitis: 325/588, 55.3%; microscopic polyangiitis: 64/139, 46.0%; z=1.96, P=.05), joint involvement (granulomatosis with polyangiitis: 549/688, 79.8%; microscopic polyangiitis: 106/154, 68.8%; z=2.96, P=.003), and pulmonary involvement (granulomatosis with polyangiitis: 523/734, 71.3%; microscopic polyangiitis: 90/154, 58.4%; z=3.13, P=.002). Compared to microscopic polyangiitis, patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis reported significantly less renal involvement (granulomatosis with polyangiitis: 457/743, 61.5%; microscopic polyangiitis: 135/163, 82.8%; z=-5.18, P<.001) and renal transplantation (granulomatosis with polyangiitis: 10/721, 1.4%; microscopic polyangiitis: 7/164, 4.3%; z=-2.43, P=.02). Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody positivity was reported in 94.2% (652/692) of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and 96.1% (147/153) of patients with microscopic polyangiitis. A biopsy showing vasculitis was reported in 77.0% (562/730) of patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and 81.9% (131/160) of patients with microscopic polyangiitis.

Conclusions: In this large, internet-based cohort of patients with a self-reported diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis or microscopic polyangiitis, disease manifestations were consistent with expectations for each type of vasculitis. Given the rarity of these and other vasculitides, conducting some types of research through internet-based registries may provide an efficient alternative to inperson, center-of-excellence clinical trials.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7428147PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/17231DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

granulomatosis polyangiitis
24
microscopic polyangiitis
20
diagnosis granulomatosis
12
polyangiitis microscopic
12
polyangiitis
11
clinical characteristics
8
self-reported diagnosis
8
patients granulomatosis
8
granulomatosis
6
microscopic
6

Similar Publications

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a subtype of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) that commonly requires aggressive immunosuppression to achieve remission. We present a case of a young Malay lady with recurrent episodes of ANCA-positive nodular anterior scleritis who responded poorly to topical and systemic corticosteroids and relapsed while on methotrexate. A year later, she had epistaxis, and a sino-nasal biopsy confirmed granulomatous vasculitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Prolonged SARS-CoV-2 Viremia in an Immunocompromised Patient.

J Med Cases

January 2025

Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmo, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden.

Immunocompromised patients, especially those receiving B-cell depleting therapies, are at risk for developing atypical presentation with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, with the potential for diagnostic delay and adverse outcomes if such delay occurs. A 66-year-old female with history of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) with previous pulmonary involvement, treated with rituximab and low-dose prednisolone, presented with prolonged fever and cough after having been treated at home for a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection in early July 2023. The patient had a prolonged course over several months with constitutional symptoms such as fever, cough and malaise.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Hypereosinophilic syndromes (HES) are a heterogenous group of eosinophilic disorders. To date, only retrospective studies of limited sample-size and/or follow-up duration are available.

Methods: The COHESion study is a national prospective multicenter multidisciplinary cohort recruiting both adults or children with the spectrum of eosinophilic disorders (including reactive HE/HES [HE/HES-R], idiopathic HES [HES-I], lymphocytic HES [HES-L], neoplastic HE/HES [HE/HES-N], HE of unknown significance [HE-US], as well as IgG4-related disease [IgG4RD] or ANCA-negative eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis [EGPA] overlaps).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Gastrointestinal lesions of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a prediction model and clinical patterns.

Arthritis Res Ther

January 2025

Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, the Ministry of Education Key Laboratory, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases, Beijing, China.

Objective: Severe gastrointestinal lesions are associated with a poor prognosis in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). The goal of this study was to develop an effective predictive model for gastrointestinal lesions and to examine clinical patterns, associated factors, treatment, and outcomes of gastrointestinal lesions in EGPA.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 165 EGPA patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Pediatric patients with Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA) are at an increased risk of arterial and venous thromboembolism (AVTE). Although the exact mechanisms underlying AVTE remain unclear, eosinophils play a pivotal role in AVTE.

Main Body: Current guidelines lack evidence-based recommendations, particularly concerning anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatments for this condition.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!