Publications

We would like to thank the patients at the Penn Vasculitis Center for their participation in the following research studies and countless more. Your contribution has made a lasting impact on the field and will advance the care of future patients.

Click on the (+) next to your topic of interest to see a sampling of published research studies performed by investigators at the Penn Vasculitis Center.

“Title of publication”
Journal, Year

Penn investigators involved (*lead)

What we learned

“Avacopan for the Treatment of ANCA-Associated Vasculitis”
New England Journal of Medicine, 2021

 Dr. Peter Merkel*
  • Patients who received avacopan were more likely to stay in remission versus those who were just taking prednisone

“Plasma exchange and glucocorticoids in severe ANCA-associated vasculitis”
New England Journal of Medicine, 2020

 Dr. Peter Merkel*
  • Largest international clinical trial performed in AAV
  • Use of plasma exchange does not improve survival or risk of end-stage renal disease
  • Compared to standard doses of prednisone, a more rapid taper of prednisone is just as effective and safer (fewer serious infections)

“Characterisation of the nasal microbiota in granulomatosis with polyangiitis”
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 2018

Dr. Rennie Rhee*
Dr. Peter Merkel*
Dr. Antoine Sreih
  • Compared to patients without GPA, those with GPA have different types of bacteria in the nasal cavity
  • Use of immunosuppression restores “healthy” bacteria

“Validation of the ANCA-associated vasculitis patient-reported outcomes (AAV-PRO) questionnaire”
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 2018

 Dr. Peter Merkel*
  • Development of new disease-specific patient-reported outcome questionnaire for use in research

“Mepolizumab or placebo for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis”
New England Journal of Medicine, 2017

 Dr. Peter Merkel*
  • First clinical trial exclusively performed in patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
  • Compared to prednisone alone, patients with EGPA receiving mepolizumab had more weeks in remission and were able to taper prednisone to lower doses

“Identification of functional and expression polymorphisms associated with risk for ANCA-associated vasculitis”
Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2017

Dr. Peter Merkel*
Dr. Antoine Sreih
  • This study identified gene variants found which could influence clinical presentation and explain in part why disease develops

 

“Title of publication”
Journal, Year

Penn investigators involved (*lead)

What we learned

“A randomized, double-blind trial of abatacept (CTLA-4Ig) for the treatment of giant cell arteritis”
Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2017

Dr. Peter Merkel*
Dr. Antoine Sreih
  • Patients with GCA who received abatacept in addition to prednisone were less likely to relapse and had more months in remission

“Infections and the risk of incident giant cell arteritis: a population-based, case-control study”
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 2017

Dr. Rennie Rhee*
Dr. Peter Merkel
  • Antecedent infections are modestly associated with the development of GCA

 

“Title of publication”
Journal, Year

Penn investigators involved (*lead)

What we learned

“Effect of treatment on imaging, clinical, and serologic assessments of disease activity in large-vessel vasculitis"
Journal of Rheumatology, 2020

 Dr. Shubhasree Banerjee*
  • Vascular imaging with PET scans are a useful tool for monitoring disease activity

“A randomized, double-blind trial of abatacept (CTLA-4Ig) for the treatment of Takayasu arteritis”
Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2017

Dr. Peter Merkel*
Dr. Antoine Sreih
  • First clinical trial ever performed in Takayasu arteritis
  • The addition of abatacept to prednisone did not reduce relapse

 

“Title of publication”
Journal, Year

Penn investigators involved (*lead)

What we learned

“Patient perception of disease-related symptoms and complications in relapsing polychondritis”
Arthritis Care and Research, 2018

 Dr. Shubhasree Banerjee*
  • Patients report a significant burden of disease
  • Certain patterns of organ involvement may lead to diagnostic delay and result in disease-related complications

 

“Title of publication”
Journal, Year

Penn investigators involved (*lead)

What we learned

“Sequence-based screening of patients with idiopathic polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and microscopic polyangiitis for deleterious genetic variants in ADA2”
Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2020

Dr. Peter Merkel*
Dr. Antoine Sreih
  • Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 is found in a subset of patients with idiopathic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) but not in GPA or MPA
  • Identification of this genetic variant may lead to alternative therapies which are not typically used in PAN

“Comparison of aortitis vs noninflammatory aortic aneurysms among patients who undergo open aortic aneurysm repair”
Arthritis & Rheumatology, 2020

 Dr. Rennie Rhee*
  • The following risk factors are associated with aortitis identified after surgery: older age, female sex, other aortic or arterial wall thickening on imaging, and absence of a history of coronary artery disease
  • Patients with these characteristics may benefit from evaluation by a rheumatologist prior to surgery