Early Diagnosis of AAV Symptoms Decreases Risk of Renal Damage, Mortality

A retrospective study has found an association between the length of prodromal phase – where patients experience non-specific symptoms before more specific disease signs develop – and mortality in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients. This finding underscores the importance of early diagnosis. The study, “Relation…

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted for review ChemoCentryx’s application to approve Avacopan (CCX168) as a treatment for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. The company, with its partner Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma, applied for a Conditional Marketing Authorization (CMA) of the medicine. A CMA…

Rituxan (rituximab) effectively induces and maintains remission in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), a new Saudi study shows. The study, “Systematic review of the role of rituximab in treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis, hepatitis C virus-related cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, ankylosing spondylitis, and…

Many ANCA-associated vasculitis patients who have a certain type of autoantibody develop the widened-airway condition known as bronchiectasis, a French study shows. The question of whether the respiratory tract is the place where ANCA-associated vasculitis develops remains to be seen, however, the researchers said. The hallmark of ANCA-associated vasculitis is…

Patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) who receive daily oral cyclophosphamide have increased bone marrow toxicity and tend to be hospitalized more often because of infections, than patients who receive the treatment intravenously. Those findings were detailed in the report “Long-term outcomes of daily oral vs. pulsed…

Patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) exhibit abnormalities in heart function near the time of diagnosis, a new study shows. Importantly, each AAV subtype had its own pattern of heart abnormalities. The study, “Echocardiographic features in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis within 3 months before…

A clinical trial will assess whether low-dose glucocorticoids and Rituxan (rituximab) may be used as a safer way to treat ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Researchers at Chiba University Hospital in Japan believe the regimen may be effective and cause fewer side effects compared to current treatment approaches. The trial particularly…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nucala (mepolizumab) as an add-on to standard care for treating eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), previously called Churg-Strauss syndrome. “Patients suffering from EGPA too often face a frustrating journey from a delay in receiving a proper diagnosis to having…

Persistent hematuria (blood in urine) in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients who achieved clinical remission after immunosuppressive therapy is not rare and may be due to chronic renal damage or low-grade active renal disease, a retrospective study has found. The study, “Persistent hematuria in patients…

A study has found that the severity of anemia in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated renal vasculitis is associated with increased renal dysfunction and shorter survival rates. The study, “Anaemia is an essential complication of ANCA-associated renal vasculitis: a single center cohort study,” was published in…