INTRODUCTION: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis is a rare, complex autoimmune condition. Although ANCAs have a pathogenic role, they are considered a suboptimal biomarker of disease activity. Previous studies suggest differences in clinical phenotypes and outcomes in those without detectable circulating autoantibody. This study aimed to investigate the clinical presentation, histopathological findings, treatment practices, and outcomes of patients with ANCA-negative pauci-immune glomerulonephritis (PIGN). METHODS: A retrospective, multicenter cohort study was conducted from 2002 to 2022 and included those with biopsy-proven PIGN. We aimed to investigate differences in presentation, clinical outcomes, and treatment practices of patients with ANCA-negative PIGN when compared with ANCA-positive controls. RESULTS: In total, 132 ANCA-negative and 127 ANCA-positive patients were included. ANCA-negative patients were younger (P < 0.001), more commonly presented with renal-limited disease (P < 0.001), had worse estimated glomerular filtration rate at diagnosis (P < 0.02) and higher rates of proteinuria (P < 0.01). Controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and recruiting center, ANCA-negative patients had lower rates of relapse (P < 0.001) and higher rates of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) at 1 and 3 years (P < 0.001). Standard remission induction and maintenance therapies were used less often in ANCA-negative patients. CONCLUSION: The precise pathophysiology and factors contributing to the clinical phenotype of ANCA-negative PIGN remain unclear and potentially represent a distinct disease entity. Adverse outcomes may result from delays in diagnosis, advanced disease at presentation, and less intense immunosuppressive treatment. Current classification criteria inadequately address ANCA-negative disease and collaborative research, which includes ANCA-negative patients in trials is needed.

• Klíčová slova
• ANCA-associated vasculitis, ANCA-negative, end-stage kidney disease, kidney biopsy, pauci-immune glomerulonephritis, vasculitis,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

OBJECTIVE: ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a relapsing-remitting disease, resulting in incremental tissue injury. The gold-standard relapse definition (Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score, BVAS>0) is often missing or inaccurate in registry settings, leading to errors in ascertainment of this key outcome. We sought to create a computable phenotype (CP) to automate retrospective identification of relapse using real-world data in the research setting. METHODS: We studied 536 patients with AAV and >6 months follow-up recruited to the Rare Kidney Disease registry (a national longitudinal, multicentre cohort study). We followed five steps: (1) independent encounter adjudication using primary medical records to assign the ground truth, (2) selection of data elements (DEs), (3) CP development using multilevel regression modelling, (4) internal validation and (5) development of additional models to handle missingness. Cut-points were determined by maximising the F1-score. We developed a web application for CP implementation, which outputs an individualised probability of relapse. RESULTS: Development and validation datasets comprised 1209 and 377 encounters, respectively. After classifying encounters with diagnostic histopathology as relapse, we identified five key DEs; DE1: change in ANCA level, DE2: suggestive blood/urine tests, DE3: suggestive imaging, DE4: immunosuppression status, DE5: immunosuppression change. F1-score, sensitivity and specificity were 0.85 (95% CI 0.77 to 0.92), 0.89 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.99) and 0.96 (95% CI 0.93 to 0.99), respectively. Where DE5 was missing, DE2 plus either DE1/DE3 were required to match the accuracy of BVAS. CONCLUSIONS: This CP accurately quantifies the individualised probability of relapse in AAV retrospectively, using objective, readily accessible registry data. This framework could be leveraged for other outcomes and relapsing diseases.

• Klíčová slova
• Classification, Epidemiology, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Vasculitis,
• MeSH
• ANCA-asociované vaskulitidy * diagnóza   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• fenotyp * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• longitudinální studie MeSH
• recidiva * MeSH
• registrace MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to describe the data structure and harmonisation process, explore data quality and define characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients across six federated antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) registries. METHODS: Through creation of the vasculitis-specific Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable, VASCulitis ontology, we harmonised the registries and enabled semantic interoperability. We assessed data quality across the domains of uniqueness, consistency, completeness and correctness. Aggregated data were retrieved using the semantic query language SPARQL Protocol and Resource Description Framework Query Language (SPARQL) and outcome rates were assessed through random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 5282 cases of AAV were identified. Uniqueness and data-type consistency were 100% across all assessed variables. Completeness and correctness varied from 49%-100% to 60%-100%, respectively. There were 2754 (52.1%) cases classified as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), 1580 (29.9%) as microscopic polyangiitis and 937 (17.7%) as eosinophilic GPA. The pattern of organ involvement included: lung in 3281 (65.1%), ear-nose-throat in 2860 (56.7%) and kidney in 2534 (50.2%). Intravenous cyclophosphamide was used as remission induction therapy in 982 (50.7%), rituximab in 505 (17.7%) and pulsed intravenous glucocorticoid use was highly variable (11%-91%). Overall mortality and incidence rates of end-stage kidney disease were 28.8 (95% CI 19.7 to 42.2) and 24.8 (95% CI 19.7 to 31.1) per 1000 patient-years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In the largest reported AAV cohort-study, we federated patient registries using semantic web technologies and highlighted concerns about data quality. The comparison of patient characteristics, treatment and outcomes was hampered by heterogeneous recruitment settings.

• Klíčová slova
• epidemiology, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, quality indicators, health care, systemic vasculitis,
• MeSH
• ANCA-asociované vaskulitidy * farmakoterapie   epidemiologie   komplikace   MeSH
• granulomatóza s polyangiitidou * farmakoterapie   epidemiologie   komplikace   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikroskopická polyangiitida * farmakoterapie   epidemiologie   MeSH
• protilátky proti cytoplazmě neutrofilů MeSH
• registrace MeSH
• správnost dat MeSH
• ukládání a vyhledávání informací MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• metaanalýza MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protilátky proti cytoplazmě neutrofilů MeSH

BACKGROUND: In anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated glomerulonephritis, antigen specificity varies between myeloperoxidase (MPO) and proteinase 3 (PR3). This has been reported to vary in relation to age, gender, geography and extrarenal manifestations. However, studies are difficult to compare as criteria for inclusion vary. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between ANCA serotype, latitude, ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels, age, gender and renal function at diagnosis in a large study with uniform inclusion criteria. METHODS: Patients with biopsy-proven ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis were identified from regional or nationwide registries in 14 centres in Norway, Sweden, the UK, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Italy and the USA during the period 2000-13. UV radiation levels for 2000-13 in Europe were obtained from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. RESULTS: A total of 1408 patients (45.2% PR3-ANCA) were included in the study. In univariable analysis, PR3-ANCA was significantly associated with male gender {odds ratio [OR] 2.12 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.71-2.62]}, younger age [OR per year 0.97 (95% CI 0.96-0.98)] and higher glomerular filtration rate [OR per mL/min 1.01 (95% CI 1.01-1.02); P < 0.001] at diagnosis but not with latitude or UV radiation. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, latitude and UV radiation also became significant, with higher odds for PR3-ANCA positivity at northern latitudes/lower UV radiation levels. However, the latitudinal difference in MPO:PR3 ratio is smaller than differences previously reported concerning microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis. CONCLUSIONS: The ratio between PR3-ANCA and MPO-ANCA varies in glomerulonephritis with respect to age, gender, renal function and geographic latitude/UV radiation levels.

• MeSH
• ANCA-asociované vaskulitidy krev   epidemiologie   imunologie   MeSH
• biopsie MeSH
• demografie MeSH
• glomerulonefritida krev   imunologie   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myeloblastin imunologie   MeSH
• peroxidasa imunologie   MeSH
• protilátky proti cytoplazmě neutrofilů imunologie   MeSH
• registrace MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• séroskupina MeSH
• specificita protilátek MeSH
• zeměpis MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Itálie epidemiologie   MeSH
• Norsko epidemiologie   MeSH
• Spojené království epidemiologie   MeSH
• Spojené státy americké epidemiologie   MeSH
• Švédsko epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• myeloblastin MeSH
• peroxidasa MeSH
• protilátky proti cytoplazmě neutrofilů MeSH

BACKGROUND: Plasma exchange (PLEX) has been used routinely for treatment of severe renal vasculitis and/or alveolar haemorrhage (AH) in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), but the long-term benefit of PLEX in AAV remains unclear. We aimed to describe the characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with PLEX in a single centre. METHODS: Patients with AAV were identified by performing a case review of medical records of 705 patients who received PLEX in a single tertiary referral centre between 2000 and 2010. Patient characteristics and outcomes were recorded. The Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank tests and Cox regression analysis were used for survival analyses. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients with AAV were identified (44 men, 50 women; median age 60 years, range 21-90 years; 52 proteinase 3-ANCA, 41 myeloperoxidase-ANCA and 1 ANCA-negative; 8 double-positive for ANCA and anti-glomerular basement membrane; 93 newly diagnosed/1 relapse; 55 [58.5 %] required dialysis). The reasons for initiating PLEX therapy were severe renal involvement alone in 52 %, AH in 10 %, both renal involvement and AH in 35 %, and "other" in 3 %. The patients had 3-27 (median 7) PLEX sessions. At 3 months, 81 (86 %) of 94 were alive and 62 (66 %) of 94 were alive and dialysis-independent. The median follow-up was 41 months (minimum-maximum 0.5-137 months), when 56 (59.6 %) of 94 patients were alive and 47 (50 %) were dialysis-independent. The estimated overall survival rates were 75.3 % at 1 year and 61.1 % at 5 years. Patient survival decreased with increasing age at presentation (5-year survival 85 % for age <50 years, 64.4 % for ages 50-65 years, and 41 % for >65 years; p < 0.01 for comparison between all groups). Estimated renal survival rates were 65.5 % at 1 year and 43 % at 5 years. Renal survival was worse in patients aged >65 years than in the younger patients (5-year survival 25.1 % in patients >65 years vs. 50.8 % for those ≤65 years, p < 0.01). The estimated renal survival was better in patients with higher Disease Extent Index (DEI) >6 than in patients with DEI ≤6 (5-year survival 52.1 % vs. 39.4 %, p = 0.04), even though this was not confirmed in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality of patients presenting with severe manifestations of AAV remains high despite the use of PLEX. Older age at presentation is associated with worse overall and renal prognosis.

• Klíčová slova
• ANCA, Alveolar haemorrhage, Dialysis, End-stage renal disease, Outcome, Plasma exchange, Vasculitis,
• MeSH
• ANCA-asociované vaskulitidy mortalita   terapie   MeSH
• čas MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• Kaplanův-Meierův odhad MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• proporcionální rizikové modely MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• výměna plazmy metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: ANCA-associated vasculitis is commonly found in elderly patients, but there are few data concerning outcome and treatment in the highest age groups. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: Consecutive patients (N=151) presenting between 1997 and 2009 were retrospectively included from local registries in six centers in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic if diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis or granulomatosis with polyangiitis at age ≥75 years during the study period. Patients were followed until 2 years from diagnosis or death. Data on survival and renal function were analyzed with respect to age, sex, ANCA specificity, renal function, C-reactive protein, comorbidities, and Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score at diagnosis as well as treatment during the first month. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 730 days (interquartile range, 244-730). Overall 1-year survival was 71.5% and 2-year survival was 64.6%. Older age, higher creatinine, and lower Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score were associated with higher mortality in multivariable analysis. Patients who were not treated with standard immunosuppressive therapy had significantly worse survival. Renal survival was 74.8% at 1 year. No new cases of ESRD occurred during the second year. High creatinine at diagnosis was the only significant predictor of renal survival in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: ANCA-associated vasculitis is a disease with substantial mortality and morbidity among elderly patients. This study showed a better prognosis for those who received immunosuppressive treatment and those who were diagnosed before having developed advanced renal insufficiency.

• Klíčová slova
• ANCA, GN, survival, vasculitis,
• MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• chronické selhání ledvin etiologie   MeSH
• granulomatóza s polyangiitidou komplikace   diagnóza   farmakoterapie   mortalita   MeSH
• imunosupresiva terapeutické užití   MeSH
• Kaplanův-Meierův odhad MeSH
• komorbidita MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikroskopická polyangiitida komplikace   diagnóza   farmakoterapie   mortalita   MeSH
• multivariační analýza MeSH
• progrese nemoci MeSH
• proporcionální rizikové modely MeSH
• renální insuficience etiologie   MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• stupeň závažnosti nemoci MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• výsledek terapie MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• multicentrická studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH
• Názvy látek
• imunosupresiva MeSH

OBJECTIVE: ST2, a member of the interleukin-1 receptor family, is selectively expressed on Th2 cells and mediates important Th2 functions. IL-33 is a specific ligand of ST2. The aim of the study was to determine whether serum levels of soluble ST2 (sST2) or IL-33 predict activity of the disease in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV). METHODS: 139 AAV patients and 62 controls were studied. IL-33 and sST2 in the blood were measured with a commercially available ELISA. RESULTS: Newly diagnosed AAV patients had higher sST2 levels than controls (P < 0.01). Levels of sST2 were significantly higher in active newly diagnosed AAV patients than in patients with remission (P < 0.001). IL-33 levels were higher in AAV patients than in the control groups (P = 0.002). However, serum IL-33 levels were not increased in patients with active AAV compared to patients in remission. IL-33 levels were higher in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis than in patients with microscopic polyangiitis (P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Serum sST2, but not serum IL-33, may be a marker of activity in AAV patients.

• MeSH
• ANCA-asociované vaskulitidy imunologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• interleukin 33 krev   MeSH
• interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 protein MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• receptory buněčného povrchu krev   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• IL1RL1 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• IL33 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• interleukin 33 MeSH
• interleukin-1 receptor-like 1 protein MeSH
• receptory buněčného povrchu MeSH