What is ANCA vasculitis?
ANCA vasculitis is a type of autoimmune disease that causes vasculitis. ANCA stands for A nti- N eutrophilic C ytoplasmic A utoantibody.
What are ANCAs and how do they work?
ANCAs target and attack a certain kind of white blood cells called neutrophils. They target a part of neutrophils called the cytoplasm (the inside of the cell.) When ANCAs (the autoantibodies) attach to neutrophils, it makes the neutrophils attack small blood vessels in the body.
What is the ANCA vasculitis podcast?
These podcast episodes were produced by the UNC Kidney Center and are hosted by Dr. Ron Falk. ANCA Vasculitis – Dr. Falk speaks at a patient support meeting of the Vasculitis Foundation, and answers common questions he hears from patients. This podcast is available in English, Spanish and Chinese.
What is recurrent disease of ANCA?
This is called recurrent disease. Not all recurrent symptoms involve the kidney, but some will. It is important that ANCA disease be controlled and in remission (usually for at least a year) prior to getting a kidney transplant. This reduces the chance that the ANCA disease will come back after the transplant.
Can a positive ANCA test be positive in other diseases?
An ANCA test can sometimes be positive in other diseases (in people who don’t have ANCA vasculitis). Also, about 10-20% of people with pauci-immune small vessel vasculitis have a negative ANCA test. Therefore, evaluating the symptoms or involvement that someone has is very important, and getting a biopsy can be important in many cases.
What is maintenance therapy for ANCA vasculitis?
Maintenance therapy involves continuing immunosuppressive medications to keep the disease in remission and decrease the chance that it will come back (relapse). Because ANCA vasculitis can be very different in different people, the way that it is treated can also be very different.