A recent study has examined the characteristics and the clinical outcomes for individuals with severe anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitides (AAVs). AAVs are a very rare group of systemic autoimmune conditions.

This study specifically focused in Colombia, and the rates of AAVs are particularly low in Latin America.

The Study

This study took place at a hospital located in the southern part of Colombia. This was a retrospective investigation where researchers analyzed the online medical records from 67 AAV patients. The research team classified moderate AAvs and severe AAvs by measuring hospitalization needs, complications which were life-threatening, and the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score. Data was gathered from 2011 to 2019.

The research team documented the treatment patients received, their symptoms, and their clinical outcomes by subtype of AAv.

Most of the patients in this investigation were female (about 66%), and patients ranged from 40 to 64 years of age.

The most common type of AAV (affecting around 63% of patients) was granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The next most common type of AAV was microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), affecting around 22% of patients. Finally, around 15% of patients were affected by eosinophilic GPA.

Symptoms

Most patients experienced pneumonia (about 66%). However, the severity of other symptoms varied by subtype.

• MPA patients experienced the highest of the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Scores at about 21 points.
• 15 of all patients in this study were at some point admitted to the ICU. 10 of these individuals were diagnosed with GPA.
• MPA patients experienced the longest time on mechanical ventilation.
• MPA was found to be the most severe type of AAV as these patients experienced the worst clinical outcomes and had the highest critical care needs.

Across all patients, the most common treatments were cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids. In terms of symptoms, pulmonary symptoms were the most common. Finally, the primary endpoint was determined to be end-stage renal disease.

You can read more about this study and its findings here.