Objectives Efficacy evaluation of giant cell arteritis (GCA) treatment is primarily based on non-specific symptoms and laboratory markers. We aimed to assess the change in vascular inflammation in patients with large vessel (LV)-GCA under different treatments using [18F]FDG PET/CT. Methods Observational study on patients with new-onset, active LV-GCA starting treatment with either prednisolone monotherapy (PRED) or combination with methotrexate (MTX) or tocilizumab (TOC). All patients underwent baseline and follow-up PET/CT. The aorta and its major branches were assessed using PET vascular activity score (PETVAS) by independent readers. Cumulative glucocorticoid doses and cessation of glucocorticoid treatment were documented in all patients. Results We included 88 LV-GCA patients, 27 were treated with PRED, 42 with MTX, and 19 with TOC. PETVAS decreased from 18.9–8.0 units at follow-up in the overall population (p< 0.001). PETVAS changes were numerically higher in patients receiving MTX (-12.3 units) or TOC (-11.7 units) compared with PRED (-8.7). Mean cumulative prednisolone dosages were 5637, 4418, and 2984 mg in patients treated with PRED, MTX, and TOC (p= 0.002). Risk ratios for glucocorticoid discontinuation at the time of follow-up PET/CT were 6.77 (95%CI 1.01–45.29; p= 0.049) and 16.25 (95%CI 2.60–101.73; p= 0.003) for MTX and TOC users compared with PRED users. Conclusion Treatment of LV-GCA inhibits vascular inflammation in the aorta and its major branches. While similar control of vascular inflammation was achieved with PRED, MTX, and TOC treatments, TOC showed a strong glucocorticoid sparing effect, supporting the concept of initial combination therapy.
Baseline CT scans of 116 patients (48% female, median 64 years) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) were retrospectively reviewed to investigate the prognostic role of sarcopenia and fat compartment distributions on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and early therapy termination. Skeletal muscle index (SMI), skeletal muscle density (SMD), and intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) were quantified at the level of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) and proximal thigh (PT). Low L3-SMD, but not low L3-SMI, was associated with early therapy termination (p = 0.028), shorter OS (HR = 6.29; 95% CI = 2.17–18.26; p < 0.001), and shorter PFS (HR = 2.42; 95% CI = 1.26–4.65; p = 0.008). After correction for sex, International Prognostic Index (IPI), BMI, and R-CHOP therapy (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone), low L3-SMD remained associated with poor OS (HR = 3.54; 95% CI = 1.10–11.40; p = 0.034) but not with PFS. Increased PT-IMAT was prognostic for poor OS and PFS after correction for sex, IPI, BMI, and R-CHOP therapy (HR = 1.35; CI = 1.03–1.7; p = 0.03, and HR = 1.30; CI = 1.04–1.64; p = 0.024, respectively). Reduced muscle quality (SMD) and increased intermuscular fat (IMAT), rather than low muscle quantity (SMI), are associated with poor prognosis in DLBCL, when measured at the L3 level, and particularly at the level of the proximal thigh. The proximal thigh represents a novel radiological landmark to study body composition.
Objectives To evaluate the accuracy of PET/CT and of PETVAS in assessing disease activity, and the ability of PETVAS in predicting relapses in a large single center cohort of patients with LVV. Methods Retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data of consecutive patients diagnosed with LVV who underwent at least one PET/CT scan between 2007 and 2020. Nuclear medicine physician’s interpretation of each PET/CT scan (active/inactive vasculitis) was compared with disease activity clinical judgement (active disease/remission). For each PET/CT scan, PETVAS score was calculated and its accuracy in assessing disease activity was evaluated. The ability of PETVAS in predicting subsequent relapses was evaluated. Results 100 consecutive LVV patients (51 LV-GCA, 49 TAK) underwent a total of 476 PET/CT scans over a mean follow-up period of 97.5 months. Physician-determined PET/CT grading was able to distinguish between clinically active and inactive LVV with a sensitivity of 60% (95% CI 50.9, 68.7) and specificity of 80.1% (95% CI 75.5, 84.1); the AUC was 0.70 (95% CI 0.65, 0.75). PETVAS was associated with disease activity: age and sex adjusted OR for active disease 1.15 (95% CI 1.11, 1.19). A PETVAS ≥10 provided 60.8% sensitivity and 80.6% specificity in differentiating between clinically active and inactive LVV; the AUC was 0.73 (95% CI 0.68, 0.79). PETVAS was not associated with subsequent relapses: age and sex adjusted HR 1.04 (95% CI 0.97, 1.11). Conclusions Visual PET/CT grading scale and PETVAS had moderate accuracy to distinguish active LVV from remission. PETVAS did not predict disease relapses.
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