Renal Survival in Patients with Collapsing Compared with Not Otherwise Specified FSGS.

Background And Objectives: Idiopathic collapsing FSGS has historically been associated with poor renal outcomes. Minimal clinical data exist on the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy. Our study sought to provide a comprehensive description of renal survival in patients with collapsing and not otherwise specified FSGS after controlling for factors affecting renal prognosis.

Adverse events and infectious burden, microbes and temporal outline from immunosuppressive therapy in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis with native renal function.

Background: Disease control in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) with immunosuppression is effective but burdened by adverse events, especially infections. The study goal was to evaluate risks and types of infections in patients with AAV.

Methods: Biopsy-proven AAV patients (diagnosed 1/1991-6/2011) followed in an inception cohort were evaluated for adverse events.

Rituximab as an immunosuppressant in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

Background: Rituximab has been used in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) since 2003. Our objective was to describe outcomes and adverse events following rituximab since that time in an inception cohort.

Methods: Patients with AAV (diagnosed 1991-2012) who received rituximab (n = 120) were evaluated and incidence per person-year (PPY) with 95% confidence interval was calculated for relapse and infections.

What Everybody is Doing but No One is Talking About: Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the ANCA Associated Vasculitis Population.

Unlabelled: The use and impact of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV) has not been reported. AAV patients seeking care at our center inquired about CAM, prompting a formal study. Study objectives were to discern how many AAV patients used CAM and its perceived helpfulness in disease management.

Predictors of treatment outcomes in ANCA-associated vasculitis with severe kidney failure.

Background And Objectives: In ANCA-associated GN, severe renal dysfunction portends a poor prognosis for renal recovery and patient survival. This study evaluated the prognostic factors affecting renal and patient outcomes in patients presenting with severe kidney failure to guide immunosuppressive therapy.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This study retrospectively evaluated clinical and histopathologic characteristics of 155 patients who underwent biopsy between October 1985 and February 2011 (median eGFR at presentation, 7.

Decreased CD5⁺ B cells in active ANCA vasculitis and relapse after rituximab.

Background And Objectives: B cell significance in ANCA disease pathogenesis is underscored by the finding that ANCA alone can cause disease in mouse models and by the effectiveness of rituximab as therapy in ANCA-small vessel vasculitis (ANCA-SVV). To avoid infections and adverse events from therapy, clinicians require improved markers of disease activity and impending relapse to guide immunosuppression strategies after rituximab treatment.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: The B cell phenotype was investigated in patients with active ANCA-SVV and in remission.

Glucocorticoids and relapse and infection rates in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody disease.

Background And Objectives: The optimal course of glucocorticoid therapy in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) disease is unknown. This cohort study evaluates effects of glucocorticoid therapy duration on patient outcomes and adverse events.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements: This study assessed 147 patients diagnosed between January 1, 2000 and January 1, 2009 who were treated with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide.

Anti-LAMP-2 antibodies are not prevalent in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody glomerulonephritis.

Lysosomal membrane protein 2 (LAMP-2) is a target of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) in addition to the more commonly known targets proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase. The prevalence of anti-LAMP-2 antibodies and their relationship to disease in ANCA glomerulonephritis are not well described. We measured anti-LAMP-2 reactivity in 680 sera samples (two academic centers) from patients with ANCA glomerulonephritis (n=329); those with ANCA-negative glomerulonephritis (n=104); those with fimbriated, gram-negative Escherichia coli urinary tract infection (n=104); disease controls (n=19); and healthy volunteers (n=124).