Rituximab for AAV Linked to Poor Responses to COVID-19 Vaccines

Treatment with the CD20 inhibitor rituximab is significantly associated with poor antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines among people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study found. However, the number of antibody-producing B-cells, the rituximab dose, and the timing between last rituximab administration and vaccination were all important factors determining how…

Winding up its 35th year, the U.S.-based Vasculitis Foundation (VF) is making its annual call for support for its programs and initiatives, which aim to help existing and future vasculitis patients. Key among them is to train more clinicians for treating ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Calling itself the world’s…

Immunoadsorption, a procedure that removes specific antibodies from the blood, may speed remission in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and serious kidney disease and help more patients attain this outcome, a small study found. The treatment approach also lowered mortality and reduced the risk of kidney failure or death…

Blood levels of several proteins — CXCL13, interleukins IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) — were validated as effective at identifying active ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) in a long-term study. The study, “Serum Biomarkers of Disease Activity in Longitudinal Assessment…

Here come the signs: A dry tickle in the throat. A heavy chest. Excessive Kleenex use. Extreme fatigue. By the time, I wake up with a fever the next day, there’s no longer any question — I am definitely sick. My mind…

Outcomes of kidney transplants for children with kidney failure related to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) are comparable to outcomes of transplants for children with other causes of kidney disease, highlighting that the procedure is generally safe and effective for children with AAV. That’s according to the study “…

People with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, especially in the months immediately following AAV diagnosis, a population-based analysis found. “Our study demonstrates a key ‘high-risk window’ that should prompt careful monitoring for CV [cardiovascular] disease and aggressive risk factor reduction,” the scientists said. The…

I can handle November all right. The air is chilly and the sky is gray, but I stay busy and content going through the motions at a manageable pace. December is different. It sweeps in right after Thanksgiving in a manic holiday frenzy, ready or not. Between busy schedules and…

People over the age of 65 with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) have worse mortality outcomes than younger patients, but kidney failure is not greater in this group, according to a recent study. These worse outcomes were associated with lower levels of hemoglobin — the protein responsible for carrying oxygen in…

The doctor-patient relationship is unique. A doctor sees you intimately and is privy to your vulnerabilities, both physical and psychological. I’m thankful to have had many vasculitis specialists in the past decade, some of whom have also evolved into trustworthy friends. For those with vasculitis, your doctor may become one…