Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35013983›Full record

ArticleJournal of nephrology2022

Eculizumab treatment in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome: correlation between functional complement tests and drug levels.

Massimo Cugno, Valentina Capone, Samantha Griffini, Elena Grovetti, Giulia Pintarelli, Luigi Porcaro, Emilio Clementi, Gianluigi Ardissino

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of nephrology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 52% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Typical or atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome? That is the question.Pediatric nephrology (Berlin, Germany) · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Massimo CugnoMedicina Interna, Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Pace, 9, 20122, Milano, Italy. massimo.cugno@unimi.it.ORCID 0000-0002-9918-0763
Valentina CaponeCenter for HUS Prevention, Control and Management at Pediatric Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
Samantha GriffiniMedicina Interna, Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Pace, 9, 20122, Milano, Italy.
Elena GrovettiMedicina Interna, Dipartimento di Fisiopatologia Medico-Chirurgica e dei Trapianti, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Pace, 9, 20122, Milano, Italy.
Giulia PintarelliMedical Genetics Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
Luigi PorcaroMedical Genetics Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
Emilio ClementiDepartment of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "L. Sacco", Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Luigi Sacco University Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
Gianluigi ArdissinoCenter for HUS Prevention, Control and Management at Pediatric Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplant Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milano, Italy.
Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico · ITASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAtypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is characterized by platelet consumption, hemolysis, and renal injury. Eculizumab, a humanized antibody that blocks complement activity, has been successfully used in aHUS, but the best treatment schedule has not yet been clearly defined.

methodsHerein we report our experience with eculizumab maintenance treatment, in which the interval between subsequent doses was adjusted based on classical complement pathway (CCP) activity, targeted to < 30% for the prevention of relapses. Trough circulating levels of free eculizumab were determined by an immunoenzymatic method. Genetic and serologic characteristics of the patients were also assessed.

resultsWe report on 38 patients with aHUS with a median age of 25.0 years (range 0.5-60.0 years) treated with eculizumab. Once stable disease remission was obtained, the interval between eculizumab doses was extended based on target CCP activity. With this approach, presently, 22 patients regularly receive eculizumab infusion every 28 days and 16 receive it every 21. During a median observation period of 32.3 months (range 4.0-92.4 months) and a cumulative period of 1295 months, no patient relapsed. An inverse correlation between CCP activity and eculizumab circulating levels was present (r = - 0.690, p = 0.0001), with CCP activity being inhibited as long as free eculizumab was measurable in serum.

conclusionsIn patients with aHUS on eculizumab maintenance treatment, complement activity measurement can be used as a proxy for circulating levels of the drug. Monitoring complement activity allows for safe tailoring of the frequency of eculizumab administration, thus avoiding excessive drug exposure while keeping the disease in remission.

Indexed as

Atypical Hemolytic Uremic SyndromeAdolescentAdultAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedChildChild, PreschoolComplement System ProteinsFemaleHumansInfantKidneyMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedComplement System ProteinseculizumabComplementEculizumabHemolytic uremic syndromePharmacodynamicsPharmacokinetics

Identifiers

PMID35013983
OpenAlexW4205201675

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.