Anticytoplasmic antibodies in Wegener's granulomatosis.

Wegener 's granulomatos is , a d isease of unknown et io logy, is character ized by a granulomatous vascul i t is of the upper and lower r e s p i r a t o r y t r a c t s . Va r y i n g d e g r e e s o f s y s t e m i c v a s c u l i t i s o f s m a l l arter ies and veins may also be seen <1>. Renal disease in the form of f o c a l o r d i f f u s e n e c r o t i z i n g g l o m e r u l i t i s i s o f t e n p r e s e n t . U n t i l recen t l y, t he d i sease was un i fo rm ly fa ta l . Today, Immunosuppress ive and cytoxic therapy are used with up to 90% of patients responding <2).