Kidney Specialists May Benefit Some EGPA Patients, Report Suggests

Kidney Specialists May Benefit Some EGPA Patients, Report Suggests

Kidney disease is less common among people with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), but some patients may experience severe kidney damage and require management by specialists, a case report shows. The study, “Renal Involvement in Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis,” was published in the journal Kidney International Reports.

The Nagging Questions of Chronic Illness

It sometimes feels silly when I receive an invitation for an event happening more than a year in the future. This is because the details of my everyday life can be so overwhelming it’s all I can do to focus on the here and now. Maybe I’ll focus on next…

Thyroid Med for Graves’ Disease Triggered AAV

A woman of childbearing years developed ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) after taking the thyroid medication methimazole to treat her Graves’ disease, a case report shows. The patient experienced signs of respiratory and kidney failure secondary to AAV, but her symptoms improved after discontinuing the medication and starting immunosuppressive medications. Four…

What Do We Do About Stress?

The topic of stress is much too familiar to autoimmune disease patients. Even in remission, I’m not immune to the overwhelming feeling that comes when my cortisol levels spike. I’m not a physician or a researcher, and plenty of studies about the science behind stress are available to…

RARE-X, Global Genes to Help Collect Rare Disease Patient Data

In their continued efforts to improve health equity for people with rare diseases, Global Genes and RARE-X have joined forces to help advocacy groups collect patient data and make the most of that information. “Patient data is perhaps the most valuable asset rare disease communities can leverage to…

PANTHERx, Rare Disease Pharmacy, to Distribute Tavneos in US

Tavneos (avacopan), a recently approved add-on oral therapy for severe, active ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), will be distributed in the U.S. by PANTHERx, the country’s leading rare disease pharmacy. The announcement follows an agreement with ChemoCentryx, Tavneos’ developer, which selected the pharmacy as a limited distribution partner. “PANTHERx is proud…

My Vasculitis Origin Story

I’ve been writing my column, “Peaceful Chaos,” about living with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) since June. I’ve written about my medications, doctor appointments, and the daily struggles of being chronically ill. I’ve discussed the psychological effect this disease has had on me and on others, and what…

Global Genes, Diversity Coalition Team Up to Advance Health Equity

Global Genes has partnered with the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition (RDDC) to advance health equity for rare disease patients and caregivers in underrepresented communities of color. “For rare disease patients, there are many challenges — and for people of color with a rare disease, these challenges are compounded…

Rare Disease Diversity Coalition Awards $600K to Combat Disparities

The Rare Disease Diversity Coalition (RDDC) awarded $600,000 in grants to ease the disparities faced by rare disease patients of color. These Impact Rare Disease Solution grants will go five RDDC steering committee working groups, which aim to identify problems for rare disease communities and advocate for solutions. The five…