News

Blocking the interaction between immune B-cells and CD8-positive T-cells may be what makes Rituxan (rituximab) an effective treatment for ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study reports. Findings of the study, “B cell depletion therapy dampens CD8+ T cell response in ANCA‐associated vasculitis,” were published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Nearly one in 10 ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients receiving azathioprine as a maintenance treatment for their condition develop hypersensitivity to the therapy, which manifests as whole body inflammation and skin eruptions, increasing the risk of relapse. Researchers should be aware of this complication, which is more common than previously thought, to…

Standard therapies used to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), like cyclophosphamide or Rituxan (rituximab), appear to be of benefit in patients who are pregnant, a literature review suggests. The study, “Successful treatment outcomes in pregnant patients with ANCA‐associated vasculitides: A systematic review of literature,” was published in the International Journal…

Levels of calprotectin in the blood correlate with markers of disease activity and a worsening in kidney function in ANCA-associated vasculitis patients, researchers in Spain report. The study, “Calprotectin as a smoldering activity detection tool and renal prognosis biomarker in ANCA associated vasculitis,” was published in the journal…

While rare, ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) may overlap with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — the most common form of lupus — and manifest as an hemorrhagic stroke caused by a weakened blood vessel in the brain, a case study shows. The study, “Systemic lupus erythematosus and antineutrophilic cytoplasmic…

A woman in Japan diagnosed with both ANCA-associated vasculitis and anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease — an extremely rare medical condition known as double-positive disease — was successfully treated with plasma exchange and cyclophosphamide,  according to a case report. The case study, “Successful treatment of steroid-refractory double-positive ANCA and…

A new classification system of types of glomerular lesions in the kidney enables better prediction of renal function and survival in patients with ANCA-associated glomerulonephritis, according to a nationwide study in Japan. The research, “Histopathological classification of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated glomerulonephritis in a nationwide Japanese prospective…

With the U.S. midterm elections now less than two weeks away, patient advocacy groups are solidly focused on a range of hot-button issues, from the Orphan Drug Tax Credit and affordable health insurance to future funding for rare disease research. Yet “whether Democrats take over the House or Senate,…

The frequency of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) appears to increase with exposure to carbon monoxide and colder climates, with patients more often diagnosed in winter months, a Chinese study reports. The disease also seems to be more common among people in Northern China and in certain ethnic minorities, like the Dong, Zhuang, and…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a label update for Rituxan (rituximab) to include information for patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) who have achieved disease control after induction treatment. A combination of Genentech‘s Rituxan and glucocorticoids, Rituxan has been approved since…