A few weeks ago, Kansas City, Missouri, got several inches of heavy snow. It happened on a Friday night, so we locals braced ourselves for a long weekend of staying in and getting cozy. (I’m in the middle of my hibernation month, so I wasn’t planning to go out…
Hunkering Down During the Dark Days of Winter
The European Commission has approved Tavneos (avacopan) as an add-on therapy for adults with severe granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) — the two main types of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Following the expected launch this year, Tavneos will be the first available oral therapy for…
An appropriate immune response to COVID-19 vaccines among people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with rituximab seems to be dependent on the number of B-cells, a study found. The study, “B cell numbers predict humoral and cellular response upon SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among patients…
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My Annual Hibernation Tradition
Young people like to ask each other, “If you were an animal, what animal would you be?” My answer is a grizzly bear. They’re powerful and majestic. They sit at the top of the food chain in their habitat. And most intriguingly, they eat for half…
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an immunosuppressant, may sustain remission more efficiently than other therapies in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients who have kidney symptoms, a review of clinical trials found. The findings showed that, in clinical trials enrolling only patients with kidney involvement, more than 90% were estimated to maintain…
ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) may be a rare complication of exposure to COVID-19 proteins, either through infection or vaccination, a report covering two women suggests. Both were diagnosed early and improved with supportive care and immunosuppressive therapy, the researchers noted. “This adverse event appears to be a very rare complication…
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When Change Gets Tough to Handle
The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus had it right when he said, “The only constant in life is change.” This is true for everyone, but especially for patients with autoimmune diseases. Change within ourselves can be mental, physical, or psychological. Externally, it may involve relationships or our living environment. Some types…
People with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) who carry antibodies against the proteinase 3 (PR3) protein have more frequent relapses and a shorter time to relapse or death than patients without such antibodies, a South Korean study shows. These findings highlight the need to look for the presence of…
Kidney inflammation associated with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) was recently reported in a man following his second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. While cases of AAV have been described after COVID-19 infection and vaccination, this is only the third case of AAV-related kidney inflammation, with antibodies against the proteinase…
I wrote this week’s column from the hospital. I debated whether I should — after all, improving my health is priority number one — but what better way to illustrate the vasculitis lifestyle than reporting straight from ground zero? For almost a week, I had a forceful cough that brought…
Recent Posts
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- Protein building block may be a therapeutic target for childhood AAV
- European agency reevaluates AAV drug Tavneos after trial data concerns
- Living with chronic illness has taught me to hold on loosely
- Rituximab matches cyclophosphamide in inducing AAV remission: Review