Patricia Inacio, PhD, science writer —

ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients with renal involvement have higher blood levels of certain small vesicles than either patients without kidney symptoms or people without this disease, a study found. These microparticles, which are positive for the myeloperoxidase (MPO) protein and carry the complement proteins C3a and C5a — central…

Researchers say an important clinical assessment is determining whether ANCA-associated vasculitis patients who need dialysis at disease onset, due to severe kidney damage, can become dialysis independent. A study has now found that people with AAV are more likely to achieve that independence if their kidney manifestations are…

Levels of rheumatoid factor — an antibody against healthy tissue found in some autoimmune diseases — appear to separate eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) patients into two subtypes with different disease mechanisms, a study suggests. “Subtypes in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis classified according to rheumatoid…

Determining the levels of interleukins in the blood, specifically IL-10 and IL-33, may help identify people with early systemic ANCA-associated vasculitis, and those at risk of kidney damage, a study suggests. The study, “Cytokine profiling in anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: a cross-sectional cohort study,” was published…

Cardiac tamponade, the buildup of fluid in the space surrounding the heart, revealed a case of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) that was successfully treated with prednisolone and a procedure for removing the fluid, a case report states. The study, “Anti-proteinase 3-positive Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis Revealed by…

People with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) experience much worse fatigue than the general population, and although this eases in many with treatment, a small subgroup can continue to have high fatigue levels, according to a study in 150 newly diagnosed patients who took part in clinical trials. Those in this…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Priority Review to Rituxan (rituximab) in combination with glucocorticoids for the treatment of children, 2 or older, with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). If Genentech‘s Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Rituxan is approved, this…

ANCA-associated vasculitis patients in Korea have a high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction, with the condition affecting mainly those who are older, have ANCA antibodies, or renal involvement at diagnosis, a study has found. The study, “Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients with Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody−associated Vasculitis: A Monocentric Retrospective Study,”…

InflaRx will soon launch a Phase 2 clinical trial in Europe to assess the safety and effectiveness of IFX-1 — an investigational inhibitor of the complement system — in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Now that European authorities have approved it, the randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial is expected to recruit approximately…

Elevated levels of the CD64 protein on the surface of neutrophils – a type of immune cell – accurately distinguishes bacterial infection from disease flares in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a study has found. The study, “Utility of neutrophil…