Active clinical trials for "Systemic Vasculitis"

Procalcitonin is a protein consisting of 116 amino-acids which can rapidly rise under inflammatory conditions and sepsis. More than 20 years ago it has been shown that dipeptidylpeptidase-4 (DPP-4) cleaves procalcitonin from the n-terminus, resulting in a truncated procalcitonin-variant which consists of 114 aminoacids. Within our workgroup we found that the truncated procalcitonin-variant had deleterious effects on vascular integrity during sepsis in mice. However, it is unknown if this applies also in humans. By using an ELISA-assay we want to examine the ratio between native and truncated human procalcitonin during diseases accompanied with hyperprocalcitoninemia and correlate the results with clinical data.

The aim of present study is to determine cardiovascular status of children who had KD in past and to identify possible biochemical markers of cardiovascular damage in those patients. In this cross-sectional study children with history of KD will be examined 5 years after receiving intravenous immunoglobulin treatment (IVIG) and compared to healthy controls in terms of: serum levels of endothelial injury markers (circulating endothelial cells, endocan, soluble thrombomodulin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble E-selectin), peripheral blood pressure, central blood pressure, arterial stiffness parameters (measured by applanation tonometry), carotid intima media thickness (cIMT), capillaroscopy and echocardiography.

The purpose of this study is to identify the most promising therapeutic strategy for patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and inadequate response to standard of care therapy. It will evaluate the efficacy to induce remission of three different salvage strategies including: a combination of rituximab with addition of a conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (either methotrexate, azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil, but preferentially methotrexate); tocilizumab; or abatacept.

The purpose of this study is to identify genes that increase the risk of developing vasculitis, a group of severe diseases that feature inflammation of blood vessels. Results of these studies will provide vasculitis researchers with insight into the causes of these diseases and generate new ideas for diagnostic tests and therapies, and will be of great interest to the larger communities of researchers investigating vasculitis and other autoimmune, inflammatory, and vascular diseases.

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a vasculitis of unknown origin, resulting in progressive thickening and stenosis of large and medium arteries (the aorta and its major branches, and the pulmonary arteries). First line therapy of TA consists of high dose corticosteroids (CS) (Mukhtyar et al, 2009). Between 20 and 50% of cases respond to CS alone, with subsequent resolution of symptoms and stabilization of vascular abnormalities (Shelhamer et al, 1985; Maksimowicz-McKinnon et al, 2007). Although second-line agents (methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, cyclophosphamide) may result in initial remission, relapses remain common when prednisone is tapered (Maksimowicz-McKinnon et al, 2007). Thus, 50% of CS-resistant or relapsing TA patients may achieve sustained remission with the addition of methotrexate (Hoffman et al, 1994). During the last decade, biologics such as anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFα) and anti-interleukin-6 (anti-IL-6) have been used as third-line treatment in refractory or relapsing TA. Almost 90% of CS-methotrexate resistant TA cases responded to infliximab, an anti-TNFα, and sustained remission was obtained in 37 to 76% of the cases (Schmidt et al, 2012; Comarmond et al, 2012; Mekinian et al, 2012). Tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 has given similar results with 68% of sustained remission in refractory TA (Abisror et al, 2013). Irrespective of classical cardiovascular risk factors, the systemic inflammation and CS use play a pivotal role in the occurrence of cardiovascular thrombotic events (CVEs) (Roubille et al, 2015). As CVEs overlap with TA complications it is primordial to drastically taper CS in that vasculitis. We therefore aim to analyses prospectively the long term outcome of refractory/relapsing TA patients.

The goal of this multicentre observational study is to compare the safety and effectiveness of rituximab biosimilars to the originator in Canadian patients with Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA) and Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA), two main forms of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). The main questions it aims to answer are: Is there a difference in vasculitis control between originator and biosimilar rituximab? Is there a difference in adverse effects between originator and biosimilar rituximab? In the Canadian healthcare context, are wait times to receive approval (financial coverage) for rituximab shorter for biosimilars compared to originators? Investigators will perform study assessments (including recording disease activity, damage, and adverse events) at the time of participants' usual clinical care visits, at regular intervals for 2 years after starting rituximab (for induction or maintenance treatment) or switching from an originator to a biosimilar as part of their usual care. Researchers will compare outcomes among participants who have received rituximab originators (from 2018 onwards) or biosimilars as part of their usual care, to see if there are differences in relapses, remission rates, damage, serious infections, serious adverse events, and treatment approval wait times.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss) (EGPA) is a rare immune system disorder that causes asthma, an excessive number of eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) in the blood, and the inflammation of blood vessels, or vasculitis. In order to properly treat EGPA, it is critical that the level of disease activity can be determined over the course of the disease. The purpose of this study is to determine new biological markers, or biomarkers, that may be used to assess the severity of this disease in people with EGPA.

The purpose of this study is to learn about the experience of women with vasculitis who become pregnant. In particular, the study will consist of several online surveys to assess each woman's vasculitis severity and pregnancy-related experiences, and pregnancy outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to collect existing tissue specimens from subjects enrolled in Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC) studies. Analysis of these tissue specimens and linked clinical data collected through VCRC studies may lead to the identification and development of a series of translational research projects. Results of these studies will provide vasculitis researchers with insight into the causes of these diseases and generate new ideas for diagnostic tests and therapies, and will be of great interest to the larger communities of researchers investigating vasculitis and other autoimmune, inflammatory, and vascular diseases.

Multi-center observational study to evaluate the histopathology and transcriptome of cutaneous lesions in patients with several different types of vasculitis.