ObjectiveTo develop criteria for the classification of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).MethodsA multistep process, based on a combination of expert consensus and analysis of real patient data, was conducted. A panel of 28 experts was first asked to classify 428 patient profiles as having or not having MAS, based on clinical and laboratory features at the time of disease onset. The 428 profiles comprised 161 patients with systemic JIA–associated MAS and 267 patients with a condition that could potentially be confused with MAS (active systemic JIA without evidence of MAS, or systemic infection). Next, the ability of candidate criteria to classify individual patients as having MAS or not having MAS was assessed by evaluating the agreement between the classification yielded using the criteria and the consensus classification of the experts. The final criteria were selected in a consensus conference.ResultsExperts achieved consensus on the classification of 391 of the 428 patient profiles (91.4%). A total of 982 candidate criteria were tested statistically. The 37 best‐performing criteria and 8 criteria obtained from the literature were evaluated at the consensus conference. During the conference, 82% consensus among experts was reached on the final MAS classification criteria. In validation analyses, these criteria had a sensitivity of 0.73 and a specificity of 0.99. Agreement between the classification (MAS or not MAS) obtained using the criteria and the original diagnosis made by the treating physician was high (κ = 0.76).ConclusionWe have developed a set of classification criteria for MAS complicating systemic JIA and provided preliminary evidence of its validity. Use of these criteria will potentially improve understanding of MAS in systemic JIA and enhance efforts to discover effective therapies, by ensuring appropriate patient enrollment in studies.
Key Points• Early introduction of cyclosporine did not improve HLH outcome in patients treated with the HLH-94 etoposide-dexamethasone backbone (P 5 .06).• HLH-2004 may be improved by risk-group stratification, less therapy reduction weeks 7 to 8 for verified FHL patients, and earlier HSCT.Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome comprising familial/genetic HLH (FHL) and secondary HLH. In the HLH-94 study, with an estimated 5-year probability of survival (pSu) of 54% (95% confidence interval, 48%-60%), systemic therapy included etoposide, dexamethasone, and, from week 9, cyclosporine A (CSA). Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was indicated in patients with familial/genetic, relapsing, or severe/persistent disease. In HLH-2004, CSA was instead administered upfront, aiming to reduce pre-HSCT mortality and morbidity. At median follow-up of 5.2 years, 230 of 369 patients (62%) were alive (5-year pSu, 61%; 56%-67%). Five-year pSu in children with (n 5 168) and without (n 5 201) family history/ genetically verified FHL was 59% (52%-67%) and 64% (57%-71%), respectively (familial occurrence [n 5 47], 58% [45%-75%]). Comparing with historical data (HLH-94), using HLH-94 inclusion criteria, pre-HSCT mortality was nonsignificantly reduced from 27% to 19% (P 5 .064 adjusted for age and sex). Time from start of therapy to HSCT was shorter compared with HLH-94 (P 5 .020 adjusted for age and sex) and reported neurological alterations at HSCT were 22% in HLH-94 and 17% in HLH-2004 (using HLH-94 inclusion criteria). Five-year pSu post-HSCT overall was 66% (verified FHL,(70)(71)(72)(73)(74)(75)(76)(77)(78)). Additional analyses provided specific suggestions on potential pre-HSCT treatment improvements. HLH-2004 confirms that a majority of patients may be rescued by the etoposide/dexamethasone combination but intensification with CSA upfront, adding corticosteroids to intrathecal therapy, and reduced time to HSCT did not improve outcome significantly. (Blood. 2017;130(25):2728-2738 Medscape Continuing Medical Education onlineIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and
Objective To describe the clinical, laboratory, and histopathologic features, current treatment, and outcome of patients with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) complicating systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Methods In this multinational, multicenter study, pediatric rheumatologists and hemato‐oncologists entered patient data collected retrospectively into a web‐based database. Results A total of 362 patients, 22% of whom had MAS at the onset of systemic JIA, were included in the study by 95 investigators from 33 countries. The most frequent clinical manifestations were fever (96%), hepatomegaly (70%), and splenomegaly (58%). Central nervous system dysfunction and hemorrhages were recorded in 35% and 20% of the patients, respectively. Platelet count and liver transaminase, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, triglyceride, and d‐dimer levels were the sole laboratory biomarkers showing a percentage change of >50% between the pre‐MAS visit and MAS onset. Evidence of macrophage hemophagocytosis was found in 60% of the patients who underwent bone marrow aspiration. MAS occurred most frequently in the setting of active underlying disease, in the absence of a specific trigger. Nearly all patients were given corticosteroids, and 61% received cyclosporine. Biologic medications and etoposide were given to 15% and 12% of the patients, respectively. Approximately one‐third of the patients required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), and the mortality rate was 8%. Conclusion This study provides information on the clinical spectrum and current management of systemic JIA–associated MAS through the analysis of a very large patient sample. MAS remains a serious condition, as a sizeable proportion of patients required admission to the ICU or died.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is not an independent disease but rather a life-threatening clinical syndrome that occurs in many underlying conditions and in all age groups. HLH is the consequence of a severe, uncontrolled hyperinflammatory reaction that in most cases is triggered by an infectious agent. Persistent stimulation of lymphocytes and histiocytes results in hypercytokinemia, leading to the characteristic symptoms of HLH. Genetic defects in familial HLH and in immunodeficiency syndromes associated with albinism affect the transport, processing, and function of cytotoxic granules in natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This leads to defective killing of target cells and a failure to contract the immune response. The defects are increasingly found also in adolescents and adults. Acquired HLH occurs in autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases (macrophage activation syndrome) and in patients with iatrogenic immunosuppression or with malignancies, but also in otherwise healthy persons with infections. Treatment of HLH aims at suppressing hypercytokinemia and eliminating the activated and infected cells. In genetic HLH, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is needed for the correction of the immune defect. Treatment modalities include immunosuppressive, immunomodulatory, and cytostatic drugs; T-cell antibodies; and anticytokine agents. Using immunochemotherapy, familial HLH, which had been invariably fatal, has become a curable disease with more than 50% survivors. Reduced intensity conditioning for HSCT, which is associated with less transplantation-related mortality, will further improve cure rates.
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