Results from a retrospective analysis suggest that cytomegalovirus seropositivity at ANCA-associated vasculitis diagnosis is an independent risk factor for developing venous thromboembolism.

Findings from a phase 2b trial suggest that treatment with the anti-CD52 antibody alemtuzumab may be beneficial for some patients with primary systemic vasculitis and an inadequate response to conventional therapies.

medwireNews : The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Vasculitis Foundation have issued evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance on managing Kawasaki disease (KD).

Plasma exchange is associated with a reduced risk for end-stage renal disease but an increased risk for serious infection in people with anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody-associated vasculitis, meta-analysis data show.

Clinical practice guidelines have been developed to advise on the role of plasma exchange and the optimal dose of glucocorticoids in people with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

They caution, however, that the criteria “are not appropriate for use in establishing a diagnosis of vasculitis” and “should only be applied when a diagnosis of small- or medium-vessel vasculitis has been made and all potential ‘vasculitis mimics’ have been excluded.”

medwireNews : The EMA has recommended approval of avacopan, when used in combination with rituximab or cyclophosphamide, for the treatment of two forms of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis.

A third dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech vaccine gives rise to a neutralizing antibody response in the majority of people with ANCA-associated vasculitis, but those treated with rituximab are unlikely to respond, researchers report.

medwireNews : The US FDA has approved avacopan , an orally-administered inhibitor of the complement 5a (C5a) receptor, as an add-on treatment option for severe antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis.

An analysis of data from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance and EULAR COVID-19 registries suggests high rates of severe COVID-19 among people with primary systemic vasculitis or polymyalgia rheumatica.

Neurologic and ocular manifestations are common among people with ANCA-associated vasculitis but vary by disease type, show data from the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium reported at the ACR Convergence 2021 virtual meeting.

The American College of Rheumatology and the Vasculitis Foundation have issued joint guidelines for the management of various types of vasculitis.

Study findings presented at the online British Society for Rheumatology 2021 Annual Conference suggest that people with vasculitis have an elevated mortality risk during COVID-19 and influenza outbreaks.

Findings from the ADVOCATE trial suggest that patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis who are treated with avacopan are more likely to experience sustained remission than those given glucocorticoids.

Background glucocorticoid use and comorbid respiratory disease may be risk factors for developing severe COVID-19 among people with systemic vasculitis, researchers report.

The likelihood of patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis having a relapse increases if they have anti-proteinase 3 ANCA positivity, cardiovascular involvement, or low creatinine levels at diagnosis, shows a meta-analysis.

Researchers outline the impact of COVID-19 in a cohort of Italian patients with large-vessel vasculitis.

Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis who receive maintenance therapy with rituximab are more likely to remain in remission than those given azathioprine, according to the results of the RITAZAREM trial.

Current and former cigarette smoking is strongly associated with an increased risk for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, researchers report.

The addition of plasma exchange to standard therapy does not reduce the risk for all-cause mortality or end-stage renal disease among patients with severe ANCA-associated vasculitis, suggest findings from the PEXIVAS trial.