Skin involvement in ANCA-associated vasculitis

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Rheumatology
• Pathology

Background:

• The skin is a frequent target organ in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis.
• Cutaneous manifestations can be the initial sign or associated features of ANCA vasculitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the diagnostic value of assessing skin lesions in ANCA-associated vasculitis.
• To elucidate the complex clinical and histopathologic spectrum of skin lesions in this condition.

Main Methods:

• Visual assessment of cutaneous manifestations.
• Histopathologic examination of skin biopsies.
• Correlation of clinical and histopathologic findings with disease activity.

Main Results:

• Skin lesions in ANCA vasculitis result from both vasculitic (affecting small dermal and subcutaneous vessels) and nonvasculitic inflammation.
• Diverse lesion types can coexist within single or multiple lesions, or appear sequentially.
• These varied features may correlate with disease activity.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the spectrum of skin lesions is crucial for early diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis with cutaneous involvement.
• Histopathologic confirmation through skin biopsy is diagnostically valuable.
• Recognizing the interplay of vasculitic and nonvasculitic inflammation aids in managing ANCA vasculitis.