A 58-year-old man with a 15-year history of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis was hospitalized for rapid progression of muscle weakness to bilateral foot drop. Although laboratory data revealed high titers of myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (489 EU), the patient was diagnosed as polyarteritis nodosa limited to the lower portions of the legs. Despite of the treatment with large ...

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is the systemic necrotizing vasculitis on small and median muscular vessels. Recent studies reveal that PAN consists of classical PAN and microscopic polyangitis (MPA). MPO-ANCA, which is one of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA), is involved in the pathogenesis of MPA. In future, by the progress of research of ANCA, the definition or criteria of systemic vas...

Introduction Microscopic polyangitiis is characterized by anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) and small vessel vasculitis. The diseases usually respond to cyclophosphamide (Cyc) but some patients are therapy resistant. Rituximab (RIT) is a chimeric antibody to CD20 causing lysis of B-lymphocytes and used for treatment of lymphomas. RIT has also been successfully used in patients with ...

a. Serum anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) measurement should not be used alone in the initial diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) but should be used in combination with the gold standard of tissue diagnosis. (Level 1 evidence) b. Measurement of ANCA by both ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) in combination ensures optimal test sensitivity and specificity. (Level I ...

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is strongly associated with autoantibodies against myeloperoxidase (MPO) and proteinase 3 (PR3). No clear consensus has been reached on the pathogenicity of these autoantibodies. Animal models for MPO-ANCA, in vitro data suggesting pathogenicity of ANCA, and one case of a neonate showing symptoms of vasculitis after tra...

We herein report a rare case of microscopic polyangiitis with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and a literature review of six previously reported cases of PBC complicated by anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. Due to the scarcity of similar reports, it was not possible to establish a true overlap syndrome or casual association. When the biliary enzyme levels are elevated ...