Alice Melão,  —

Azathioprine an oral immunosuppressant used as a maintenance therapy for ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients — may in rare cases cause a hypersensitive reaction of tender, red bumps on the skin, called Sweet’s syndrome, a case report shows. The report, “Sweet syndrome: a rare feature of ANCA-associated vasculitis or unusual…

Hydralazine, a medication commonly used to lower blood pressure, may in rare cases cause ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a new case report shows. The study, “Hydralazine-induced MPO-ANCA Renal-Limited Vasculitis Masquerading as Lupus Nephritis,” was published in the Journal of the…

In rare cases, ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) presents as an interstitial lung disease with a pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia several years before the clinical onset of vasculitis, a case report suggests. The report, “Interstitial lung disease with usual interstitial pneumonia pattern preceding the presentation of ANCA-associated vasculitis…

While rare, ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) may overlap with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — the most common form of lupus — and manifest as an hemorrhagic stroke caused by a weakened blood vessel in the brain, a case study shows. The study, “Systemic lupus erythematosus and antineutrophilic cytoplasmic…

Inhaling cocaine regularly can cause tissue and blood changes that may mimic those found in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a case report shows. These findings suggest that in patients with suspected vasculitis, a detailed clinical and drug abuse history could lead to an accurate diagnosis and prevent the administration of…

Muscle weakness may, in rare cases, be a presenting symptom of ANCA-associated vasculitis, and a muscle biopsy should be considered in these cases to confirm a diagnosis, a case report suggests. The report, “Muscle weakness as a presenting symptom in ANCA-associated vasculitis,” appeared in the European…

A patient taking Imuran (azathioprine) to treat his ANCA-associated vasculitis experienced an acute allergic reaction to the therapy which manifested as a kidney inflammation. Researchers should be aware of this complication to promptly distinguish disease relapse from acute reactions to the medicine. The case report, “Azathioprine-induced interstitial nephritis…

In patients with interstitial lung disease, cigarette smoking may sometimes cause the production of ANCA associated antibodies — a hallmark of ANCA-associated vasculitis — without any signs of vessel inflammation, the case of a 57-year-old man suggests. The case report, “Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema with myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody…

Alterations in the nasal cavity mucosa and throat often are primary symptoms of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and it is critical that otolaryngologists are aware of the disease’s head and neck manifestations, researchers say. In a case report, Mayo Clinic researchers highlight some common endoscopic and radiologic findings seen…

A case study from Japan found that patients with microscopic polyangiitis can, on rare occasions, develop aneurysms in their renal arteries, a complication that can lead to blood vessel rupture and sometimes death. The case report with the finding, “Ruptured renal artery in microscopic polyangiitis: a case report and…