Having persistently or recurrently high levels of ANCA antibodies is associated with a greater risk of relapse in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a recent study has found. In patients whose ANCA antibodies target the myeloperoxidase (MPO) protein, a recurrent ANCA pattern was also significantly associated with…
A majority of rare disease patients using telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic thought the experience positive, and many would like the option of continuing its use in future appointments, a series of surveys found. The surveys were conducted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and involved more than 800…
People with kidney inflammation due to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) have a high incidence of venous thromboembolism or VTE, a potentially dangerous type of blood clot, a new study shows. However, treatment with statins — cholesterol-lowering medications — may significantly reduce patients’ VTE risk, researchers say. The…
A group of proteins that modulate immune responses, called heat shock proteins (HSPs), are significantly elevated in the kidneys of people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), and their levels are associated with poorer kidney function and organ survival, a multi-year study found. These…
Same But Different, a nonprofit U.K. group that uses art for social change, is inviting people to choose their favorite photographs in a calendar contest to heighten awareness of rare diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The organization’s panel of judges has pared the number of contest submissions…
Adding plasma exchange to immune-suppressing treatment does not significantly improve clinical outcomes in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a new meta-analysis indicates. The analysis, “The role of plasma exchange in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: a meta-analysis,” was published in Clinical Rheumatology. AAV is characterized by…
High blood levels of FCRL5 — a protein mainly found in certain B-cells, a type of immune cell — are linked with a greater likelihood of achieving and maintaining a complete response to rituximab in people with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA),…
Exagen, a life sciences company developing tests for the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of autoimmune conditions, has launched a new test for the rapid diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Named AVISE Vasculitis AAV, the test measures for a panel of biomarkers, each of which helps determine the…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review ChemoCentryx‘s application requesting the approval of avacopan to treat ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), the company announced in a press release. The agency expects to announce its decision regarding approval on or before July 7, 2021.
The 20S-proteasome — the core of an enzyme complex responsible for eliminating unnecessary or damaged proteins in cells — may be a useful biomarker of disease activity in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study shows. The study, “Serum 20S proteasome levels are associated with…
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