Back
For best output, select "Paper Size" as "A4" and "Margin" as "0" or "None".
To save or print to PDF, please select Print Destination > Save as PDF, enable Background Graphics under "More Settings", then click "Save".
During the congress, E-Posters will be accessible to all participants on the congress website 24/7, as well as in the E-poster stations in the congress center.
Preparing your E-Poster
Please review the E-Poster format requirements carefully when preparing your E-Poster. Should your E-Poster not meet the mentioned requirements, it may not be displayed as described above.
E-Poster Submission Deadline
Please prepare and upload your E-Poster no later than March 14, 2026 11.59PM CET. After this date, you will no longer be able to prepare and upload your E-poster and it will not be displayed and accessible on the congress website.
Please follow the instructions below to input your abstract title.
Abstract titles should be brief and reflect the content of the abstract.
Remission induction therapy (RIT) with cyclophosphamide or rituximab is recommended as the standard treatment for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). However, evidence regarding its efficacy and safety in elderly patients remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of RIT in patients aged 75 years or older with AAV.
This retrospective observational study included patients aged ≥75 years who were diagnosed with AAV at our institution between 2011 and 2024. Patients were divided into two groups: those who received RIT with cyclophosphamide or rituximab (RIT group) and those who did not (non-RIT group). The primary outcome was complete remission at 6 months. Safety outcomes included the incidence of serious infections and all-cause mortality within 2 years.
A total of 26 patients were identified, with a mean age of 81.8 ± 4.9 years; 25 (96%) were anti-myeloperoxidase positive and 1 (4%) was anti-proteinase 3 positive. Fourteen patients (54%) received RIT (cyclophosphamide in 1 and rituximab in 13). The mean Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) at onset was 12.6 ± 6.5 in the RIT group and 11.0 ± 6.1 in the non-RIT group. Baseline serum creatinine was lower in the RIT group (1.97 ± 1.19 mg/dL) than in the non-RIT group (3.25 ± 2.34 mg/dL), though the difference was not statistically significant. All patients in the RIT group achieved complete remission within 6 months, and 1 (7.1%) relapsed within 2 years. In the non-RIT group, 4 (25%) achieved remission and 1 (8.3%) relapsed. RIT was associated with a significantly higher remission rate (odds ratio [OR] 29.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–651.6, p = 0.009), with no significant difference in relapse risk. Serious infections occurred in 3 patients (21.4%) in the RIT group and 3 (25%) in the non-RIT group. Six deaths occurred, all in the non-RIT group (end-stage renal disease 2, sepsis 2, other causes 2). Among survivors who received oral corticosteroids, the cumulative 6-month dose was significantly lower in the RIT group (2070.5 ± 741.1 mg) than in the non-RIT group (3130.7 ± 535.2 mg; p = 0.032).
In patients aged ≥75 years with AAV, RIT with cyclophosphamide or rituximab was associated with a significantly higher rate of complete remission and lower overall mortality, without an increased risk of serious infection. These findings, together with recent evidence supporting corticosteroid tapering protocols, suggest that remission induction may be safely and effectively achieved in elderly AAV patients using RIT-based regimens.
