Aleksandra Plavsic, Serbia

University Clinical Centre of Serbia Clinic of Allergy and Immunology
Dr. Aleksandra Plavsic is a Clinical Assistant in Internal Medicine at the School of Medicine, University of Belgrade.She has been working as an allergologist and clinical immunologist in the Clinic of Allergy and Immunology at the University Clinical Centre of Serbia since 2006. Her area of interest include patients with systemic vasculitis, connective tissue diseases, antiphospholipid syndrome and severe asthma. She is a member of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and Serbian Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

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BIRMINGHAM VASCULITIS ACTIVITY SCORE AND DISEASE EXTENT INDEX AS A DISEASE ASSESSMENT TOOLS IN CRYOGLOBULINEMIC VASCULITIS

Session Name
PS40 - NOVELTIES IN VASCULITIDES
Session Type
PARALLEL SESSIONS
Date
31.05.2021, Monday
Session Time
10:00 - 12:00
Room
HALL A
Lecture Time
11:00 - 11:10
Presenter
Session Icon
Pre Recorded

Abstract

Background and Aims

The Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) and Disease Extent Index (DEI) are used in the assessment of vasculitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the BVAS and DEI in patients with differing degrees of disease severity and different etiologies of cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV).

Methods

The BVAS and DEI were evaluated at initial presentation and after a follow up period of 6 to 120 months in patients with mild CV (44), severe CV (49), essential mixed cryoglobulinemia (34), non-infectious cryoglobulinemia (38) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cryoglobulinemia (17). The correlations between BVAS and DEI with different serological parameters were examined.

Results

Both the BVAS and DEI were significantly higher in patients with severe CV (p<0,01). There was a correlation observed between a patient’s BVAS and cryoglobulin concentration (p<0,01) and decreased complement levels (p<0,01). The DEI correlated with decreased complement levels (p<0,01). After the follow up period, the BVAS was significantly lower (p<0,01) in both severe and a mild form of CV. There was no difference in either BVAS or DEI in patients with different etiologies of CV. After the follow up period, patients with HCV-related cryoglobulinemia had a significantly higher BVAS and DEI.

Conclusions

A correlation was found between BVAS, cryoglobulin concentration and decreased complement levels. The patients with severe CV showed significant decrease in their BVAS after the follow up period. The patients with HCV-related cryoglobulinemia demonstrated a significantly higher BVAS and are seven times less likely to present a decrease in BVAS during the treatment period (OR 6,801; CI 95%).

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