Publications by authors named "J Villacorta"

Objectives: ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) are chronic diseases with relapses that associate organic damage because of the disease and its treatment. Avacopan is a new treatment indicated for AAV. We present the first experiences with avacopan in Spain as part of an Early Access program.

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Background: The treatment of minimal change disease (MCD) consists of a high dose of steroids for several months, implying significant drug toxicity. Nevertheless, relapses of steroid-sensitive MCD usually respond to lower doses of steroids.

Methods: The objective of this study was to analyze whether a low dose of steroids (LDS) is effective for the treatment of MCD relapses.

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Article Synopsis
  • The activation of the alternative pathway (AP) of the complement system plays a significant role in the development of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), but the exact mechanisms are not fully understood.
  • Researchers analyzed gene variants and plasma levels of different complement components in a Spanish cohort of 102 AAV patients to explore the impact of the AP on the disease.
  • The study found that specific genetic variants influence disease susceptibility and kidney damage severity, while high levels of AP activation and certain plasma component ratios correlate with worse outcomes, highlighting FHR-1 as a potential therapeutic target.
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Background: Genetic causes are increasingly recognized in patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), but it remains unclear which patients should undergo genetic study. Our objective was to determine the frequency and distribution of genetic variants in steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome FSGS (SRNS-FSGS) and in FSGS of undetermined cause (FSGS-UC).

Methods: We performed targeted exome sequencing of 84 genes associated with glomerulopathy in patients with adult-onset SRNS-FSGS or FSGS-UC after ruling out secondary causes.

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