Half of AAV Patients in Study Develop Poor Long-Term Outcomes

Half of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) developed a poor long-term outcome — kidney disease, cancer or death — in the years after their diagnosis, according to a recent study in China. Impaired kidney filtration, low blood potassium, older age, and kidney or heart involvement at diagnosis were among…

Vasculitis UK is supporting a team of scientists investigating whether rising levels of inflammation due to aging — a process dubbed inflammageing — may be at the root of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). The charity has awarded a research grant to professors at Trinity College Dublin, in…

Amgen is the new owner of Tavneos (avacopan), an approved ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) therapy, following its successful $3.7 billion cash acquisition of ChemoCentryx. “ChemoCentryx enhances Amgen’s leading inflammation and nephrology portfolio and includes Tavneos (avacopan), a first-in-class treatment for severe active anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis (ANCA-associated vasculitis), an…

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…

Brandon Hudgins and Ben Wilson are two longtime friends of mine, both with a similar vasculitis diagnosis. We met while volunteering for the Vasculitis Foundation as young adult leaders. Obviously, life looks very different when you’re sick at such an early age. Now in our 30s, we remain…

The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may have triggered kidney inflammation linked to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) in a 51-year-old woman, according to a case report. “Due to the temporal association between the application of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and the onset of renal [kidney] function decline in a previously healthy patient, it…

Immune macrophages or cells that carry the proteins CD163 and/or CD206 play a key role in kidney inflammation in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study reported. Researchers found that these distinct macrophages contribute to the inflammatory process in different ways. Moreover, the team determined that both CD163 and…

Poorer kidney function and relatively high doses of the corticosteroid prednisolone — possibly indicating active disease — can increase the risk of severe COVID-19 for people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a Swedish study suggests. “Our findings highlight risks and suggest that more attention should be given to optimal AAV treatment in…

Poor lung function and high levels of inflammatory biomarkers in the bloodstream were found to be risk factors for acute exacerbation — an episode of sudden symptom worsening — in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated interstitial lung disease. That’s according to a new study, “Acute exacerbation…

Tavneos (avacopan) has been approved as an add-on therapy for adults in Switzerland with severe, active microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) or granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA), the two main types of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Following the decision by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, Swissmedic, the launch of Tavneos is expected…