Clinical Research Directory

Early Temporal Dynamics of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter After Therapy in GCA

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammatory disease of large and medium arteries that can cause irreversible vision loss. Glucocorticoids (GCs) rapidly suppress inflammation, but diagnostic imaging tests such as temporal artery ultrasound or biopsy often become falsely negative within days of treatment. The optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), measurable by ocular ultrasound, reflects perineural edema and may serve as a quantitative biomarker of ocular inflammation in GCA. The SONIC-TIME study (Early Temporal Dynamics of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter After Glucocorticoid Therapy in Giant Cell Arteritis) is a single-center, prospective observational substudy embedded within SONIC-GCA (NCT05749094) at Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal. It aims to characterize how rapidly ONSD decreases after GC initiation and how this trajectory relates to cumulative GC exposure, intravenous methylprednisolone, and early use of steroid-sparing therapies. Sixty participants with newly diagnosed GCA will undergo serial optic nerve sheath ultrasound, blood tests (CRP, ESR), and when feasible, temporal artery ultrasound over the first two months of therapy (Days 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, and Month 2). No experimental treatments are given; all participants receive standard-of-care therapy. The primary objective is to quantify the percent change in mean ONSD from baseline to Day 28. Secondary objectives include modeling ONSD change over time, assessing associations with cumulative steroid dose and inflammatory markers, and estimating the time to normalization below the SONIC-GCA cutoff. Findings will define the optimal imaging window and refine the diagnostic and monitoring role of optic nerve ultrasound in GCA.

Association of Ultrasonographic Temporal Artery Lesions and Relapse in Patients With Giant Cell Arteritis

Ultrasound evaluation of the temporal and axillary arteries is currently well recognized in the field of giant cell arteritis (GCA), a disease primarily affecting medium- and large-caliber vessels. Structural ultrasound abnormalities are now well described in this pathology, but their association with relapse and clinical concordance is unknown. There is currently a follow-up score (the OGUS score) for medium- and large-caliber arteries that could also predict the clinical course of the disease.

Studies of the Natural History, Pathogenesis, and Outcome of Idiopathic Systemic Vasculitis

Background: \- Vasculitis is a group of diseases that inflame and damage blood vessels and tissue. It can cause many medical problems. Few tests can diagnose the disease, and none can reliably predict a relapse. Researchers want to study people s genes and follow people over time to see how the disease affects them. Objective: \- To learn the signs, symptoms, imaging tests, genetic markers, and blood tests that can help identify people with vasculitis and predict what will happen to them over time. Eligibility: * People age 3 and older who have or are thought to have vasculitis, or are related to someone with it. * Healthy volunteers. Design: * Participants will be evaluated by a doctor who has expertise caring for patients with vasculitis. * Participants will give a blood sample. Some will give a urine sample. * Some participants may have brushings or biopsies taken from the inside lining of the nose. * Images of participants blood vessels may be taken using scans. For some scans, participants will lie on a table that moves in and out of a cylinder that takes pictures. For some scans, a contrast agent may be injected into an arm vein. Other scans may use a radioactive form of sugar. Healthy minors will not have scans. * Some participants will answer questionnaires. - Some participants will have their tests done at NIH. Others will have their doctor take the blood, saliva, or cheek swab samples and send them to NIH. * Some participants will have one visit lasting 1-2 (but sometimes up to 4) days. Some participants may have follow-up visits every 3 - 6 months, indefinitely.

Effect of Supplemental Hydrocortisone During Stress in Prednisolone-induced Adrenal Insufficiency

In this double-blinded randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial, the aim is to determine the effect of supplemental hydrocortisone compared with placebo during mild to moderate physical or mental stress on health related quality of life in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)/giant cell arteritis (GCA) on ongoing low-dose prednisolone diagnosed with glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency. The main emphasis is on fatigue (primary outcome) and daily variation hereof during periods of stress.

Rheumatology Patient Registry and Biorepository

To facilitate clinical, basic science, and translational research projects involving the study of rheumatic diseases.

Abatacept for the Treatment of Giant Cell Arteritis

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will seek to determine the efficacy of abatacept in GCA. To examine this objective, 62 eligible patients who have newly diagnosed or relapsing GCA within 8 weeks prior to screening will be randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive subcutaneous abatacept 125mg/week or placebo. Patients who achieve remission will remain on their blinded assignment for 12 months at which time abatacept/placebo will be stopped. Patients who do not achieve remission by Month 3, who experience a relapse within the first 12 months will have the option of receiving open-label abatacept for a maximum of 12 months.

One-Time DNA Study for Vasculitis

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.

VCRC Tissue Repository

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.

TocilizuMab discontinuAtion in GIant Cell Arteritis

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a large-vessel vasculitis that typically occurs in people over the age of 50. Corticosteroids (GC) are the cornerstone of treatment for GCA. French guidelines recommend starting at 0.7 or 1 mg/kg/day at diagnosis, depending on the occurence of ischemic complication(s). Then, it is recommended to gradually decrease their dose to achieve withdrawal in 12 to 24 months. Despite this treatment, 47% of patients relapse. Relapses are favored by rapid reduction of corticosteroid doses and large vessel involvement at diagnosis. Fortunately, relapses are severe in only 3.3% of cases and ischemic complications are very rare. However, this contributes to prolonging the duration of corticosteroid treatment and thus the risk of cortico-induced adverse events, which have not been significantly reduced in the last 20 years. The main risk factors for the development of steroid-related complications are advanced age and cumulative steroid dose. For this reason, the development of cortisone-sparing strategies is necessary to improve the management of patients with GCA. Thanks to major advances in the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of GCA, new therapeutic targets have been discovered. For example, the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ), an anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody, has been demonstrated in two phase 2 trials and one phase 3 trial, leading to its approval for the management of patients requiring rapid reduction in corticosteroid doses and/or those relapsing repeatedly on prednisone \>7.5 mg/day. In recently published US guidelines, TCZ can even be used at diagnosis to reduce the need for corticosteroid therapy.5 Indeed, TCZ appears to be remarkably effective in controlling GCA activity and saves approximately 2000 mg of prednisone in cumulative dose. At present, the place of TCZ compared to methotrexate in the therapeutic strategy is still being evaluated, notably through the METOGiA study (PHRC-N 2017), which is being conducted by our team. Inclusions for METOGiA ended in March 2023 with results expected in 2025. Outside of this study, approximately 1500 patients are currently receiving TCZ treatment for GCA (data from ROCHE-CHUGAI). There is no doubt that TCZ treatment is effective and rather well tolerated in the elderly population, but it generates problems that are not solved to date: * the cost (\~900€/month) * the difficulty monitoring these patients because the biological markers usually used to monitor GCA (CRP, ESR, fibrinogen) can no longer be measured since TCZ blocks their production by the hepatocytes. Monitoring of disease activity therefore requires very careful clinical examination and the use of expensive imaging tests such as PET scans because GCA can be active despite normal ESR, CRP and fibrinogen levels. Some studies suggest that monitoring serum IL-6 may help identify patients with active disease, but this test is not readily available and the threshold above which relapse should be suspected is unclear because TCZ induces an increase in serum IL-6 levels by blocking IL-6 receptors, even in patients in remission. * For the same reasons, infections are difficult to detect in patients treated with TCZ. This raises the question of how to discontinue this treatment, especially since other treatments that do not interfere with CRP, ESR, or fibrinogen measurements are being evaluated. This shows that this treatment tends to be prolonged well beyond one year when the disease is often in remission without corticosteroids. This is probably related to two factors: 1/ the fear of relapse after treatment withdrawal; 2/ the absence of a scheme for withdrawing TCZ. The risk of relapse after stopping TCZ has been reported in several studies, in particular the long-term follow-up of phase 2 and 3 trials that demonstrated the efficacy of TCZ for the treatment of GCA. Overall, regardless of the duration of TCZ treatment, the risk of relapse is approximately 40% 6 months after the last injection of TCZ, and the risk of relapse is higher if the large arteries (aorta and its branches) are involved. Thus, although the available data are limited, it appears that tapering rather than immediately stopping TCZ limits the risk of relapse after full withdrawal.

Impact of the Spatial Resolution of Several Contrast-enhanced 3D T1-WI Sequences When Diagnosing Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) (or Horton's disease) is a segmental and focal inflammatory arteritis affecting large and medium-sized arteries. Its incidence is estimated at 17.8/100,000 in subjects over 50 years old (and 46/100,000 in subjects over 70 years old). This disease remains a severe pathology due in particular to its vascular, ophthalmological, neurological, cardiac and aortic complications. In case of suspected CAG, management is a real therapeutic emergency. Indeed, only corticosteroid therapy started as early as possible can prevent the occurrence of these complications. The gold standard for the diagnosis of CAG has long been the temporal artery biopsy, but imaging is now considered as a 1st line diagnostic examination for the diagnosis of CAG according to the EULAR 2018 recommendations. Notably, temporal artery MRI has excellent sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis. However, the high diagnostic performance of MRI has been achieved by performing 3D T1 black blood and fat saturation sequences in high resolution (\<0.7mm), which are not accessible in all centers in France and worldwide. The realization of identical sequences with a lower resolution could allow a greater generalization of these sequences and improve the diagnostic management of GCA patients, including in non-expert centers. The objective of our study is to investigate the diagnostic performance of several 3D T1 black blood and fat saturation sequences for the diagnosis of GCA.

Giant Cell Arteritis - Ways to Precision Medicine

Long-term follow-up of aortal adverse events, as well as glucocortioid-associated adverse events in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA).

MEthotrexate Versus TOcilizumab for Treatment of GIant Cell Arteritis: a Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is the most frequent vasculitis after 50 years. It is characterized by a granulomatous inflammation of the wall of large vessels, involving especially the aorta and extra-cranial branches of the external carotid, with vascular remodelling leading to ischemic manifestations such as temporal headaches, jaw claudication, scalp tenderness and visual loss. Most patients with GCA also present signs of systemic inflammation, including weight loss, fatigue and fever, together with an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) level. Glucocorticoids (GC) are the cornerstone of the treatment of GCA. They are very effective and are usually given for 18-24 months to avoid relapses. Therefore, most patients develop GC-related complications that cause morbidity and disability. GC sparing strategies are thus required to improve the treatment of GCA. * A 12-month treatment with tocilizumab (TCZ) has recently been shown to be effective in inducing and maintaining remission of GCA, with a dramatic GC-sparing effect. However, TCZ is an expensive drug; TCZ suppresses CRP synthesis and ESR elevation so that it is difficult to monitor patients; and importantly around 40% of patients relapse within 6 months after TCZ discontinuation, whether prescribed for 12 months or 4 months. * In association with 6 months of prednisone, 10 mg/week of methotrexate (MTX) for 24 months lowers the risk of relapse at 24 months from 84% to 45%. Therefore, the hypothesis is that 12 months of MTX treatment (0.3 mg/Kg/week, without exceeding 20 mg/week) is not inferior to 12 months of TCZ (162 mg SC/week) in term of prevention of relapse at 18 months. The MTX strategy might be more cost effective than TCZ. In the present study, it is proposed to compare MTX versus TCZ in a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Moreover, the economic consequences associated with the use of MTX rather than TCZ will be also assess.

Improved Diagnostics and Monitoring of Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Background: Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is characterised by pain of the proximal muscles, general symptoms, and raised inflammatory markers. Treatment with prednisolone has several adverse effects. PMR is an exclusion diagnosis, and methods to diagnose and monitor the disease are lacking. Objective: To investigate if ultrasound and PET/CT can be used to diagnose and monitor PMR. In addition, the importance of prednisolone induced adrenal insufficiency is investigated. Methods: It is a prospective observational study in patients suspected of PMR. Patients diagnosed with PMR continue in the study. Ultrasound and PET/CT are performed at baseline, after 8 weeks on prednisolone, and after 10 weeks during a short prednisolone break. Adrenal insufficiency is investigated five times throughout the study. After one year the PMR diagnosis is confirmed.

Vascular MRI Evaluation in Giant Cell Arteritis (VEGA)

The research study is being conducted to determine the utility of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in identifying inflammation of arteries supplying blood to the head, brain, and eyes. The target population includes patient with suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA; temporal arteritis).

Optic Nerve Sheath Ultrasound in Giant Cell Arteritis

The Sonographic Assessment of the Optic Nerve Sheath in Giant Cell Arteritis (SONIC-GCA) study will evaluate the performance of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), measured via ultrasound, to diagnose and monitor GCA. SONIC-GCA builds upon our previous pilot studies and will answer the following questions: 1. What is the performance of ONSD to identify patients with new-onset, active GCA? 2. Is ONSD useful for monitoring GCA relapses during follow-up? 3. What is the intra- and interobserver reliability of ONSD measurements? 4. Does ONSD differ between patients with and without GCA-related retinal findings?

The Applanation Tonometry in GCA Pilot

The Applanation Tonometry in Giant Cell Arteritis (ATOM-GCA) study will answer the following questions: 1. How does PWV, measured by applanation tonometry of temporal arteries, differ between patients with and without a final diagnosis of GCA (based on pre-defined criteria 6 months after inclusion)? 2. What is the diagnostic accuracy and positivity cutoff of the PWV, measured by applanation tonometry, in detecting: 1. A clinical diagnosis of GCA (based on pre-defined criteria 6 months after inclusion)? 2. Inflammation of temporal arteries on high-resolution ultrasound? 3. What is the acceptability and adherence of repeat applanation tonometry during the follow-up period in patients with GCA?

Efficacy of Tocilizumab in Association to Steroids in Giant Cell Arteritis With Cerebro-vascular Involvement

A French multicenter randomised and placebo-controlled study recruiting patients who present neurovascular involvement related to GCA (\> 60 years) with symptomatic (stroke) or asymptomatic forms. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of tocilizumab to induce complete remission of GCA with cerebrovascular involvement (clinical and biological) and absence of clinical and MRI ischemic stroke recurrence at 24 weeks.

Assessing Biomarker in Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatic

The GCAIO study is an innovative, multimodal research initiative designed to enhance the understanding, diagnosis, and management of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and frequently associated polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). This longitudinal study aims to dissect the complex immunological landscape and systemic manifestations of these conditions through a combination of diagnostic imaging and detailed immunological profiling. The study focuses on three primary objectives: (1) Identifying and analyzing cytokine profiles and immune cell phenotypes, employing techniques like flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and next-generation sequencing to predict disease activity and therapeutic responses. (2) Advancing diagnostic and monitoring capabilities through the application of novel and established imaging technologies, including MRI, optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and ultrasound. These modalities aim to improve the detection of neuro-ophthalmological, cardiac, and aortic complications in GCA, potentially offering more precise monitoring and earlier diagnosis. (3) Enhancing the understanding of PMR within the context of GCA by exploring specific biomarkers and advanced imaging to refine diagnostic accuracy and treatment strategies, thus improving patient outcomes.

Armenian NAtionwide REGistry of Systemic Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Diseases

Longitudinal prospective multicenter Armenian registry of systemic autoimmune, autoinflammatory diseases with constitution of bio-banking.

Clinical and Immunogenetic Characterization of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) and Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)

A multi-centre observational study recruiting prospective and retrospective cohorts of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). The primary aim is to find genetic determinants of GCA and PMR susceptibility, in order to yield novel insights into disease pathogenesis. A subset of the retrospective cohort is also enrolled in a post-marketing surveillance registry of patients eligible for, or receiving tocilizumab, to treat their relapsing or refractory GCA.

A Clinical Trial to Investigate 18F-AzaFol in the Diagnosis of Large Vessel Vasculitis

The goal of this open-label clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of AzaFol-PET/CT in the diagnosis of GCA (giant cell arteritis), to compare AzaFol- with 2-\[18F\]FDG-PET/CT, and to assess the safety and tolerability of AzaFol in subjects with suspicion of GCA. Participants will undergo AzaFol-PET/CT imaging at a single timepoint.

PRediction of DIverse Glucocorticoids ToxIcity OUtcomeS

To date, there is no available tool that allows, at individual level, determination of the probability to develop clinically relevant complications of prolonged glucocorticoid therapy. In patients with inflammatory rheumatic disorders requiring prolonged glucocorticoid therapy, such tool could be useful to adapt first-line treatment decisions (in daily practice and in future clinical trials). The main objective of the study is to identify routine clinical, biological and DXA baseline characteristics predictive of the occurrence of clinically relevant complications of glucocorticoid therapy at 1 year, in order to propose a predictive score.

PET Imaging of Giant Cell and Takayasu Arteritis

While 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is often included in the diagnostic work-up of patients with large-vessel vasculitis (LVV), 18F-FDG lacks specificity for inflammatory cells and has limited ability to track therapy response. Moreover, high background 18F-FDG uptake in the brain and myocardium largely precludes imaging temporal arteritis in giant-cell arteritis (GCA) and coronary artery involvement in Takayasu arteritis respectively. These limitations of 18F-FDG for imaging LVV highlight important unmet clinical needs, which might be overcome by using a somatostatin receptor subtype-2 (SST2) PET tracer.

Visual Involvement in Giant Cell Arteritis

This observational study aims to enhance the description of the different ways Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) affects vision. The latest technology and knowledge are used to improve how we diagnose and predict patient outcomes. GCA is the most frequent vasculitis, an inflammation of vessels, in older adults. It involves large and medium-sized arteries and causes ischemic alterations such as stroke and blindness, through damage of extracranial arteries. The primary objective is to compare the frequency of the various ocular findings between the main alterations of arteritic and non-arteritic aetiology, such as Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (A-AION) Vs. Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NA-AION) or Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) from GCA Vs. from other causes, through a comprehensive clinical and instrumental evaluation.