Margarida Maia, PhD, science writer —

People with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) are more likely to develop an aneurysm — a bulge in a blood vessel wall that can burst or rupture — than those with other types of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), according to a small study in France. Aneurysms mainly affected medium-sized vessels, especially…

More than one-third of people with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), a type of ANCA-associated vasculitis, may experience eye symptoms, a study in Italy has found. In many cases, eye symptoms were present from the onset of disease, sometimes even preceding more specific symptoms affecting other body parts. “Patients should…

Higher blood levels of soluble interleukin 7 receptor subunit alpha (sIL-7R alpha) — a portion of a receptor protein involved in inflammation — significantly associate with lower disease activity in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a small study found. These preliminary findings suggest that the soluble receptor protein “can…

An elderly woman was diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) after having an ischemic stroke, a condition wherein a blood clot cuts off blood supply to a part of the brain, a case study reported. It’s rare that AAV manifests in the central nervous system, which is made up of…

Monocytes, a type of white blood cell, that carry a protein called CD206 are found at abnormally high levels in the blood of people with active ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study has found. This held true even when researchers compared people with AAV who had glomerulonephritis, a condition in…

A reinforced pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccination scheme, where one of the two vaccine types available is given at higher doses than usual, appears to be safe and may help people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) who are on rituximab to build better immunity against pneumococcal disease. These are the findings of…

Poorer kidney function and relatively high doses of the corticosteroid prednisolone — possibly indicating active disease — can increase the risk of severe COVID-19 for people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a Swedish study suggests. “Our findings highlight risks and suggest that more attention should be given to optimal AAV treatment in…

The buildup of immune molecules in the kidneys of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients appears to be linked to some symptoms and signs of kidney disease, but not severe ones, and it cannot predict how kidney disease will progress, a study reported. No significant differences in end-stage kidney disease was seen…

Treatment with rituximab helps most adults, ages 75 and older, with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) achieve and maintain disease remission, a French study found. However, a higher rate of serious infections and deaths were reported when rituximab was used as an induction therapy, in combination with high doses of glucocorticoids,…

Excess of a particular amino acid, or protein building block, in the blood may make neutrophils — a type of white blood cell that first responds to an infection or injury — more reactive in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and large-vessel vasculitis, a study has found. The amino acid, called…