News

A patient in New York was diagnosed with ANCA-associated vasculitis and compromised kidney function caused by levamisole-adulterated cocaine, which scientists consider to be a rare occurrence. The study, “Unusual case of levamisole-induced dual-positive ANCA vasculitis and crescentic glomerulonephritis,” was published in BMJ Case Reports. Levamisole is…

An individually tailored treatment with Rituxan (rituximab) is as effective as the standard fixed-schedule regimen in preventing relapses over 28 months in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients in remission. The data also indicated that the less frequent infusions in the tailored approach may improve safety, according to a…

Inhaling cocaine regularly can cause tissue and blood changes that may mimic those found in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a case report shows. These findings suggest that in patients with suspected vasculitis, a detailed clinical and drug abuse history could lead to an accurate diagnosis and prevent the administration of…

Half a year has gone by since disgraced pharma executive Martin Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for securities and wire fraud while heading San Diego-based Retrophin. As founder and CEO of another company (then known as Turing Pharmaceuticals), in late 2015 Shkreli bought the rights…

Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) who receive a minimal glucocorticoid treatment along with Rituxan (rituximab) and cyclophosphamide show similar improvement as those given standard glucocorticoid regimens, but have lower glucocorticoid-associated adverse events, a study shows. The study, “A novel glucocorticoid-free maintenance regimen for anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody–associated vasculitis,” was published…

Muscle weakness may, in rare cases, be a presenting symptom of ANCA-associated vasculitis, and a muscle biopsy should be considered in these cases to confirm a diagnosis, a case report suggests. The report, “Muscle weakness as a presenting symptom in ANCA-associated vasculitis,” appeared in the European…

The presence of atypical ANCA antibodies in people with underlying eye inflammatory disease is not linked to severe vessel inflammation or worse outcomes, a small study reports. The study, “Atypical Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Ocular Inflammatory Diseases,” was published in the journal Ocular Immunology and Inflammation. ANCA-associated…

Patients with small-vessel vasculitides, including ANCA-associated vasculitis, are more likely to need aggressive treatments or to die in the intensive care unit (ICU) than patients with other systemic autoimmune diseases, a Polish study has found. However, after discharge from the ICU, mortality rates are similar for both groups of patients,…

Most patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) test positive for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCAs) in sputum samples, even if they show no signs of them in their blood, researchers from Canada and the United States found. These patients have more severe lung involvement, the study shows, suggesting that measuring…

Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) are more likely to exhibit severe disease and experience poor kidney outcomes if they have low levels of the C3 complement protein at diagnosis, a study found. Researchers said the findings will help doctors identify AAV patients with severe disease and select appropriate treatment at…