Rate of infections in severe necrotising vasculitis patients treated with cyclophosphamide induction therapy: a...

Infections are common complications of necrotising vasculitis. We aimed to determine the rate of infections in patients with severe necrotising vasculitis treated with cyclophosphamide (CYC) combined with high dose glucocorticoids (GC).

Searches of MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library databases (1990 to May 2016) were performed. Inclusion criteria were randomised controlled trials of intravenous (IV) or oral (PO) CYC induction therapy for granulomatosis and polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic poyangiitis (MPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), and systemic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). Pooled rates of infectious complications were determined by random effects meta-analyses. Meta-regression was performed to identify variables associated with severe infection.

Search results yielded 2636 references; 14 studies with a total of 888 subjects met inclusion criteria. The mean age of participants ranged from 39 to 75 years. Mean cumulative doses of CYC were 2.7 to 50.4 g and of GC were 6 to 13 g. The pooled rate per year per gram of CYC of severe infection was 2.2% (95% CI: 0.9, 5.3%, I2 = 58.7%), any infection was 5.6% (95% CI: 1.8, 16.7%, I2 = 79.1%) and infection-related deaths was 1.7% (95% CI: 0.8, 3.9%, I2 = 0%). By meta-regression, age, creatinine and cumulative GC dose were not significantly associated with the rate of severe infections.

The rate of severe infections and infection related mortality in patients with severe necrotising vasculitis treated with CYC + GC induction therapy is high.