Pharmacological approaches to CNS vasculitis: where are we at now?

Abstract

The diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis is extremely challenging. Several conditions can mimic CNS vasculitis and require totally different treatment. CNS vasculitis, once confirmed, may result from infections or systemic diseases that will warrant specific treatments, or, more rarely, be primary and isolated (PCNSV). Prospective trials to help determine the optimal treatment for PCNSV are lacking, but data from several cohorts have provided seminal data on its management. The consensus is to use glucocorticoids as first-line agents, combined with additional immunosuppressants for the most severe cases, mainly cyclophosphamide for induction, followed by less-toxic maintenance therapy with azathioprine, methotrexate, or mycophenolate mofetil. The recent identification of PCNSV subgroups and predictors of outcomes might help in deciding the adequate treatment for each patient, keeping in mind that these data are based on a small number of patients. Other agents and biologics can be considered for patients with relapsing and/or refractory disease, but evidence is limited. In practice, the diagnosis must be re-questioned in patients with PCNSV refractory to standard treatment, especially with diagnoses not based on pathology.

Keywords:

• CNS vasculitis
• treatment
• glucocorticoids
• cyclophosphamide
• rituximab