[Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) associated vasculitides]

The anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitides are a group of uncommon diseases characterised by inflammatory cell infiltration and necrosis of blood vessel walls. ANCA there has been considerable progress towards understanding their pathogenesis. This results in endothelial activation with increased transmigration and adherence of neutrophils to vessel walls. Specific for granulomatosis with polyangiitis are nasal or oral inflammation and development of oral ulcers and purulent or bloody nasal discharge. The chest radiograph usually showed the presence of nodules or fixed infiltrates. Microscopic polyangiitis affects the smallest blood vessels and may also affect medium-sized vessels, demonstrates the tropism for the kidneys--glomerulonephritis and lungs--pulmonary capillaritis. The characteristic features of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis are asthma, eosinophilia in peripheral blood, sinusitis and pulmonary infiltrates which may be transient, than mononeuritis multiplex. It is important to differentiate ANCA vasculitis and syndromes that may mimic them, particularly infection, malignancy and connective tissue disease.