Kathy Olevsky prepares to record a Vasculitis Foundation medical webinar in her office. (Photos courtesy of Kathy Olevsky) This is Kathy Olevsky’s story: In late 2008, I was diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis or MPA. It plunged me into a 21-day hospital stay, including time in intensive care, filled…
Rituximab is superior to other immunosuppressive treatments at preventing post-surgery relapse in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) patients undergoing surgery to address subglottic stenosis, a common complication that causes airway narrowing. That’s according to a study that analyzed data from 25 GPA patients who were followed for more than…
Ioana Miclea has eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. (Photos courtesy of Ioana Miclea) This is Ioana Miclea’s story. So, picture this: I’m Ioana, your quintessential 20-something girl, living it up with nights out, camping escapades, and a newfound love for festivals. And I’m jamming out to some meme song I…
Amgen is planning to launch a Phase 3 clinical trial testing Tavneos (avacopan) — its approved therapy for adults with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) — in combination with a standard regimen of rituximab or cyclophosphamide in children and adolescents with active AAV. That’s according to a company press release…
Janice Barnett poses with a textile piece in the making. (Photos courtesy of Janice Barnett) This is Janice Barnett’s story: My diagnosis of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome, in December 2021 plunged me into a state of utter disbelief. I was fit and…
Rachel Young learns to walk again in 2022. (Photos courtesy of Rachel Young) This is Rachel Young’s story: Young hikes in 2023. If I had ever heard the term “vasculitis” before my diagnosis three years ago (ANCA vasculitis with kidney involvement), it wasn’t something that held…
May will be an activity-filled month for people living with vasculitis — and for doctors, researchers, and advocates in the field — as the world recognizes Vasculitis Awareness Month (VAM), and International Vasculitis Day on May 15. Vasculitis is a group of rare autoimmune diseases characterized by inflammation and damage…
Lower blood counts of platelets — tiny cell fragments involved in blood clotting — at the time that ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) is diagnosed may be a marker of poorer kidney function and a higher risk of kidney failure, according to a retrospective study from China. Findings suggest that “platelet…
Men with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) are three times more likely to develop cancer, most often that affecting the lungs and the head and neck, than age-matched men in the Turkish population, a study based on patient registry data found. Older age — age 60 or older — at AAV…
The risk of poor outcomes after a kidney transplant is considerably higher for ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients with kidney failure than people without the autoimmune disease, ranging from infections and disease relapse to death, a review study reports. But long-term survival rates for those who make it through the…
Get regular updates to your inbox.