Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

Margarida is a biochemist (University of Porto, Portugal) with a PhD in biomedical sciences (VIB and KULeuven, Belgium). Her main interest is science communication. She is also passionate about design and the dialogue between art and science.

Articles by Margarida Maia

Renal Risk Score a better predictor of long-term kidney function

The Renal Risk Score may be a better histopathologic classification model than Berden for predicting long-term loss of kidney function in people with ANCA-related vasculitis (AAV) who have glomerulonephritis, an inflammation of the kidneys’ filtering units, a study finds. Incorporating the renal risk score into clinical decision-making could help…

Tavneos can help older AAV patients recover from kidney failure

Tavneos (avacopan) improved kidney function and reduced the need for the glucocorticoid prednisone in four older patients who had signs of kidney failure due to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), researchers in Canada report. While Tavneos may help patients enter into remission without the harmful side effects of glucocorticoids, “more…

Partners plan database of AAV molecular information for research

Evotec has formed a partnership with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany to build a database of all sorts of molecular information from people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Molecular profiles, a kind of fingerprint of AAV, may help scientists better understand the autoimmune disease and pave the way…

Blood clotting factor XII may be marker of active AAV: Study

Factor XII (FXII), a protein involved in blood clotting, is found at significantly higher levels in the blood of people with active ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) relative to those in clinical remission, or whose symptoms have eased or disappeared. That’s according to a study in China that also found that…

Rituximab at fixed regimen better for long-term remission: Study

An 18-month fixed-schedule maintenance regimen of rituximab is better at keeping ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) in remission for up to seven years than azathioprine or a rituximab regimen tailored to an individual, according to pooled data from the Phase 3 MAINRITSAN program. Doubling the length of this fixed-schedule regimen did…