{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: VEXAS Syndrome: A Case Series From a Single-Center Cohort of Italian Patients With Vasculitis.
{Author}: Muratore F;Marvisi C;Castrignanò P;Nicoli D;Farnetti E;Bonanno O;Longo R;Zaldini P;Galli E;Balanda N;Beck DB;Grayson PC;Pipitone N;Boiardi L;Salvarani C;
{Journal}: Arthritis Rheumatol
{Volume}: 74
{Issue}: 4
{Year}: 04 2022 5
{Factor}: 15.483
{DOI}: 10.1002/art.41992
{Abstract}: To identify patients with VEXAS syndrome (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic syndrome) from a single-center cohort of Italian patients with vasculitis, using a clinically oriented phenotype-first approach.<BR>We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 147 consecutive male patients followed up in our vasculitis clinic from 2013 to date. All patients with a diagnosis of vasculitis and treatment-resistant manifestations of inflammation, persistently elevated inflammation markers, and hematologic abnormalities were identified. Bone marrow aspirates were examined for the presence of vacuoles. Sequencing of ubiquitin-activating enzyme E1 (UBA-1) was performed using genomic DNA from peripheral blood leukocytes or bone marrow tissue.<BR>Seven patients with vasculitis and concomitant features of VEXAS syndrome were identified. A final diagnosis of VEXAS syndrome was made in 3 of the 5 patients who underwent sequencing of UBA-1 (diagnosis was made postmortem for 1 patient). In all 3 patients, examination of the bone marrow aspirate revealed vacuoles characteristic of VEXAS syndrome, and all 3 patients met the definitive World Health Organization criteria for myelodysplastic syndrome. Cytogenetic analysis showed normal karyotypes in all 3 patients.<BR>To our knowledge, this is the first report of VEXAS syndrome associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. Our data emphasize the need to consider VEXAS syndrome when evaluating patients with various forms of systemic vasculitis. The novel association between VEXAS syndrome and ANCA-associated vasculitis reported herein warrants further investigation.