Related Experiment Videos
Microscopic polyangiitis: clinical and laboratory findings in eighty-five patients
L Guillevin1, B Durand-Gasselin, R Cevallos
1Department of Internal Medicine, Hôpital Avicenne, Bobigny, France.
Arthritis and Rheumatism
|March 24, 1999
Summary
Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a multisystemic vasculitis with frequent renal and general symptoms. Combined steroid and immunosuppressive treatment improved survival rates compared to steroids alone, though relapses remain common.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Nephrology
- Immunology
Background:
- Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a rare systemic vasculitis.
- Understanding its clinical spectrum and outcomes is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, and outcomes of MPA patients.
- To identify characteristic features and prognostic factors in MPA.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 85 MPA patients from French Vasculitis Study Group trials.
- Inclusion criteria: Chapel Hill criteria for MPA.
- Diagnosis confirmed by biopsy in most cases.
Main Results:
- Common symptoms include renal (78.8%), weight loss (72.9%), skin (62.4%), and fever (55.3%).
- Renal insufficiency affected 47 patients; 10 required long-term dialysis.
- Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), particularly pANCA, were present in 74.5% of patients.
- Five-year survival rate was 74%; combined therapy improved survival compared to steroids alone.
Conclusions:
- MPA is a multisystemic disease with prominent renal and constitutional symptoms.
- High frequency of pANCA and rarity of abnormal angiograms are characteristic.
- Outcomes are comparable to other systemic vasculitides, but relapses are frequent.