AAV linked to higher risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer

Finding the right Medicare plan can be downright daunting. There are so many options, often with only slight variations in coverage, that it can make your head spin. To make things even more confusing, many plans have nearly identical names. Add in the fact that Medicare itself is evolving —…

Tavneos (avacopan) can control ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) just about as well as standard glucocorticoids but causes fewer side effects — and as such, use of the approved therapy may help people with AAV enjoy a better quality of life. Those are the findings of a review study by…

Having pulmonary renal syndrome (PRS), a potentially life-threatening condition marked by lung and kidney problems, is associated with a higher risk of severe complications in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a new study reports. After accounting for starting differences in kidney function, AAV patients with PRS had a six…

In severe ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), rituximab may be superior to cyclophosphamide at helping people survive beyond 10 years and achieve remission, while reducing the need for standard corticosteroids. These are the findings of a Japanese real-world study that also found rituximab was not associated with any infection-related deaths,…

Being male, being 55 or older, having evidence of kidney damage, and having nervous system involvement are independently associated with a higher risk of relapse and death in people with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), according to a study in Iran. “Awareness of this information can lead to better understanding…

Remember when the phrase “this is a hamburger on steroids” just meant a ridiculously big burger piled high with toppings? Before I got sick, “on steroids” was just a funny exaggeration. Now that I’m living with ANCA-associated vasculitis, though, that phrase hits differently. Steroids are no longer just something…

Fasenra (benralizumab) provides meaningful benefits for people with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), including those testing positive for self-reactive antibodies called ANCAs, according to a systematic review of real-world data. Specifically, Fasenra was associated with sustained remission rates, significant corticosteroid-sparing effects, and reductions in symptoms related to the respiratory…

When living with vasculitis, we patients often zero in on our specialists, and the list can feel endless: rheumatologists, pulmonologists, nephrologists, otolaryngologists, cardiologists, and more. But what sometimes gets lost in the shuffle is our primary care physician (PCP). As I’ve settled into a new city and searched for…

The most common types of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) show distinctive activity patterns of type I interferons (IFN-I), a group of immune signaling molecules, suggesting a possible route for individualized monitoring and treatment strategies, a study reports. People with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and associated kidney disease had more IFN-I…