Stroke frequency, associated factors, and clinical features in primary systemic vasculitis: a multicentric...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Neurology
• Vascular Medicine

Background:

• Cerebral vessel involvement in primary systemic vasculitis (PSV) is not well understood.
• Cerebrovascular events (CVEs) can significantly impact patients with PSV.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of CVEs at PSV diagnosis.
• To identify factors associated with CVEs in PSV patients.
• To explore stroke features and outcomes in PSV.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of adult PSV patients from the DCVAS study.
• Comparison of demographics, vascular risk factors, and clinical features between PSV patients with and without CVEs.
• Assessment of stroke subtypes and 6-month cumulative incidence of recurrent CVEs.

Main Results:

• CVEs were reported in 3.5% of 4828 PSV patients (102 stroke, 81 TIA).
• CVE frequency varied by PSV type, highest in Behçet's disease (9.5%), polyarteritis nodosa (6.2%), and Takayasu's arteritis (6.0%).
• PSV patients had an 11.9% cumulative incidence of recurrent CVEs within 6 months.

Conclusions:

• CVEs affect a significant proportion of PSV patients at diagnosis, with notable variation among subtypes.
• CVEs in PSV are not primarily driven by traditional vascular risk factors.
• There is a high risk of CVE recurrence in PSV patients.