Nasal Staphylococcus aureus infections don’t appear to influence disease activity in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients with ear, nose, and throat involvement, a study suggests. Treatment with antibiotics to clear S. aureus infections didn’t reduce disease activity either. “Our study shows no difference in systemic and local disease activity between…
An 87-year-old man with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), kidney disease and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSSC) — a type of skin cancer — partially responded to cemiplimab treatment without developing kidney complications or immune-related side effects. However, his response to cemiplimab was delayed as the tumor initially grew,  but regressed…
The occurrence of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and its pattern on high-resolution imaging scans vary according to the profile of self-reactive antibodies in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), according to a recent study. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) are two types of ANCA-associated vasculitis. ILD…
An increase in ANCA antibodies may predict a relapse within six to 12 months in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), according to a new study. The link between an antibody rise and AAV relapse was found to be significant in patients with myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCAs, or antibodies against…
A man with granulomatosis with polyangiitis — a type of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) — and abnormally raised urine protein levels, a sign of kidney disease, has been described in a recent case report. Notably, urine protein levels usually are not significantly elevated in people with granulomatosis…
The body’s complement system — comprised of blood proteins that fight infection — is specifically activated in individuals with microscopic polyangiitis and ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) with myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibodies years before a patient’s symptoms begin, new research shows. “These findings support differential pathogenic [disease-causing] mechanisms behind” these two AAV…
Blood levels of progranulin — a protein involved in cell development, cell growth, and wound healing — may predict the severity of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a new observational study suggests. According to researchers, serum progranulin, or the protein’s levels in the bloodstream, “could be used as a predictive marker…
After an initial biopsy shows signs of active ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) affecting the kidneys, repeat biopsies are better at determining active disease than standard measures of kidney function, a new observational study reports. Such repeat kidney biopsies may help determine treatment response and personalize care plans for people with…
A positive anti-proteinase 3 (PR3) ANCA test, lower serum creatinine levels, and cardiovascular involvement at diagnosis appear to raise the risk of relapse in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a review study reports. When combined, these factors may predict an individual’s risk of relapse within five years after diagnosis,…
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