Vasculitis Flashcards
Tocilizumab is routinely used in the treatment of which form of vasculitis?
GCA
Is there any role for plasma exchange in ANCA vasculitis?
No
What agent is used for induction and maintainance in severe ANCA vasculitis (aside from steroids)?
Rituxumab
What are some cardinal features of GCA?
- Old pt, nil before Age of 50
- Vission distirbance (Painless loss of vision, unilateral)
- Diffuse headache (worse over temporal / parietal regions) / Tender scalp or pain when combing hair
- Jaw claudication
- PMR
- Constitutional upset (evidence of inflammation ie night sweats, LOW)
What is the next step in someone who has vision loss due to suspected GCA (not confirmed)? What is they dont have vission loss / symptoms?
High dose steroids - IV methyl pred
Give high dose pred in GCA but nil vision changes
What is the key feature of GCA?
- Mural inflamation (full thickness)
- Multinucleated giant cells (hence GCA)
- Thickening of the intima - this is what results in the steonsis
What is a steroid sparing regime for GCA treatment?
Add tocilizumab and wean steroids over 6 months
What feature is most likely to be associated with GCA (ie highest likelihood ratio)?
Jaw claudication
What size of vessel does GCA affect? Does it affect a particular part of the body or is it systemic?
Medium to Large vessel vasculitis
Systemic, manifestations are mainly GCA but affects every where equally
How does PMR present?
Morningt stiffness in the neck and shoulders, sometimes the hips too
- Mainly difficulty when reaching above the head
What should be given to a patient on high dose steroids?
High dose PPI
Calcium and vitamin D
What is the gold standard for Dx GCA? What are the other two diagnostic options?
Temporal artery Bx is still gold standard because can be done and interpreted by many people
Temporal artery ultrasound
- Needs to be done by experienced staff in high volume centre. Needs to scan temporal and axillia at a minimum to get enough info for Dx
Temporal artery PET scan
- FDG PET but focused on temporal, axilliary and aorta arteries
Why are there occasional false negatives with temporal artery Bx?
Specific Bx segmnent may not be involved, this is why need a descent length of vessel
May just be predominatly afecting the large vessels IE the aorta
What are teh USS features of GCA?
Hypoechoic wall thickening (intimal thickening) which looks like a halo (halo sign)
What is tocilizumab? what vasculiutis is it involved in management of?
IL6 receptrors antagonist
Used routinely unless contraindication as a steroid sparing agent in managment of GCA
Historial treatment (nil toc) involve 1-2 year pred wean in vunrable population
What are the vascular complication of GCA?
VIssion loss (permanent)
- anterior ischemic optic nephropathy
Aortic aneurysm and dissection
Stroke (mostly posterior circulaiton stroke due to vertebral artery disease)
Limb claudication (uncommon)
Pt Dx GCA 10 years ago, now presents with chest pain. Dx?
Dissection / aneurysm
What form of vasculitis is takayasu? Who doe it affect?
Large vessel vasculitis
Affects younger asian pts (unlike GCA that is a large vessel diverticulitis that affects older white pts)
What arteries are primarily involved in takayasu arteritis?
Aorta and primary branchs
- as opposed to GCA which is medium and large vessel
Young pt, asian, constitutionally unwell, presents with a stroke / loss of a pulse in left arm. Dx?
Takayasu arteritis
- Too young for atherosclerosis
- too young for FMD