The rapid efficacy of abatacept in a patient with rheumatoid vasculitis

Mod Rheumatol. 2012 Aug;22(4):630-4. doi: 10.1007/s10165-011-0559-8. Epub 2011 Nov 29.

Abstract

We report a case of rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) that responded well to abatacept, a cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4)-immunoglobulin fusion protein. A 38-year-old woman developed RV despite treatment with methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. The effects of steroid therapy, immunoabsorption plasmapheresis, and interleukin-6 inhibitor were insufficient, however, administration of abatacept rapidly improved her clinical symptoms with almost normalization of the immunological findings. This is the first published case report of the successful treatment of RV with abatacept.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abatacept
  • Adult
  • Antirheumatic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Substitution
  • Female
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Health Status
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates / therapeutic use*
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use
  • Plasmapheresis
  • Remission Induction
  • Rheumatoid Vasculitis / diagnosis
  • Rheumatoid Vasculitis / drug therapy*
  • Rheumatoid Vasculitis / physiopathology
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Failure
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors

Substances

  • Antirheumatic Agents
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Abatacept
  • Methotrexate