VIDEO: Researchers seek end to early corticosteroid use in AAV

“The PEXIVAS [trial] may give you some additional information,” Dr. Pagnoux said. “Patients were not only randomized to receive plasma exchange or no plasma exchange, but they were also randomized to receive the standard regimen of corticosteroids with a slow taper ... or a much faster regimen with a much faster tapering of the corticosteroids.” The fast taper involves a steep drop every week, so that, after just 1 month, doses have fallen from 60 mg to 10 mg.

Dr. Pagnoux said he can imagine the day when corticosteroids can be completely eliminated from induction treatment for GPA and MPA. But he added there are studies looking at the efficacy and safety of the drugs in maintenance treatment even once they’re eliminated from induction, but at far lower doses.

“The good news is that it would only be 5 mg per day, for example.”

SOURCE: Pagnoux C. CCR 2018.