Author: Cristiana Sieiro Santos
Izuka et al. (OP0096) identified the significant immune cells forming systemic immune-mediated diseases and stratified all patientsaccordingly, using immunophenotyping and transcriptomic data. Genes associated with adaptive immune response in naïve CD8+ T cells were found in cluster 1, T cell activation response and an innate immune response in memory CD4+ T cells in cluster 2, and vascular process in the circulatory system in non-classical monocytes in cluster 3. SLE patients were predominantly in cluster 2 and most of the SSc patients were included in cluster 3.
Molina et al. (OP0171) evaluated the added value of performing FDG-PET/CT to detect aortitis in patients with US proven giant cell arteritis (GCA). Patients with aortitis were younger (p<0.001), more frequently females (p=0.002) and had higher level of platelets (p=0014). None of the patients with aortitis referred visual symptoms (p=0.001) and they presented US signs of LV-GCA more frequently (p<0.001) versus patients without aortic involvement.
Bruni et al. (OP0238) determined whether exposure to immunosuppressive treatment in SSc-precapPH affects morbidity and mortality in the EUSTAR cohort. A risk reduction for the morbidity-mortality outcome was noted for TCZ in the whole cohort (p=0.03) and in group 1 (p=0.02) and RTX in group 1 (p=0.01).
Schenone et al. (POS0933) assessed whether nailfold videocapillaroscopy, in combination with umbilical artery doppler ultrasound can detect microvascular status during pregnancy. A statistically significant difference in the absolute number of capillaries in the first trimester between subjects with and without areas of aberrant placental microcirculation was detected (p=0.030).
Didriksen et al. (POS0122) investigated the use of circulating biomarkers in CTD-ILD, including Sjogren’s syndrome, SSc and MCTD and healthy controls. They show that CCL2 and CCL17 are increased across all CTD patients with ILD compared to no ILD, which could help us to identify patients with ILD. ILD progression was only associated with CCL18, which was driven by the SSc-ILD subpopulation.
Taubmann et al. (POS1238) tested the use of CD19 CAR-T in patients with severe refractory antisynthetase syndrome, which lead to drug-free remission, resolution of muscle and lung inflammation and abrogation of disease-associated autoimmunity.
Del Papa et al. (POS1314) evaluated the long-term effectiveness of autologous hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (AHSCT) in SSc compared to an age and sex-matched group of SSc patients treated with conventional therapies. AHSCT patients experienced a better overall survival compared with control patients (p=0.001). AHSCT was also more effective than other therapies for the outcomes of skin score (p<0.0001), lung function (p=0.0004) and disease activity (p<0.0001).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cristiana Sieiro Santos
Cristiana is a rheumatology consultant at Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León (Spain). She is a PhD student of the Doctoral Program of Biomedical Sciences focusing on the immune responses to conventional vaccines in patients with immune-mediated diseases. She is interested in SLE, SSc, pSS, translational research, clinical immunology, and musculoskeletal epidemiology.
Cristiana is a member of the Country Liaison Sub-Committee.