Ruptured gastric artery aneurysm:An uncommon manifestation of microscopic polyangiitis

Gastric artery aneurysm is a rare and lethal condition,and is caused by inflammatory or degenerative vasculopathies.We describe herein the clinical course of a patient with a ruptured gastric artery aneurysm associated with microscopic polyangiitis.Absence of vasculitic changes in the aneurysm resected and negative results of autoantibodies interfered with our diagnostic process.We should have adopted an interventional radiology and initiated steroid therapy promptly to rescue the patient.

Characteristics and Prognosis of Microscopic Polyangiitis Patients with Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage and Interstitial Lung Disease

Objective To evaluate the clinical characteristics and prognostic predictors of patients with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage(DAH)and/or interstitial lung disease(ILD)secondary to microscopic polyangiitis(MPA)in a Chinese general hospital.Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of MPA patients admitted to internal medicine departments between the year 2002 and 2012.The patients were divided into the ILD,DAH,DAH combined with ILD(DAHILD),and no pulmonary involvement(NPI)groups according to pulmonary involvement patterns.The clinical characteristics at diagnosis were analyzed.The risk factors associated with short-term death and long-term death were identified with Logistic regression and Cox analysis.Results Of 193 newly diagnosed MPA patients,181 patients were enrolled in the research,of which 19 had DAH alone,96 had ILD alone,18 had DAH and DAH concurrently,and 48 had NPI.The median of serum creatine level in the DAH group was 449μmol/L,significantly higher than that in the ILD group(123μmol/L,Nemenyi=-35.215,P=0.045)and DAHILD group(359μmol/L,Nemenyi=-43.609,P=0.007).The median follow-up time was 67(range:1-199)months.Patients in the ILD group were older than those in the DAH group(median:69 years vs.57 years,Nemenyi=43.853,P=0.005).The patients with both DAH and ILD had combined features of the two subtypes,and the highest mortality(72.2%at the end of follow-up).The elevated white blood cell count was a risk factor for short-term death(OR=1.103,95%CI:1.008-1.207,P=0.032 for one month;OR=1.103,95%CI:1.026-1.186,P=0.008 for one year).Old age(HR=1.044,95%CI:1.023-1.066,P<0.001),cardiovascular system involvement(HR=2.093,95%CI:1.195-3.665,P=0.010),poor renal function(HR=1.001,95%CI:1.000-1.002,P=0.032)were risk factors for long-term death.Pulmonary infections(38/54)were the leading causes of death,especially for the patients with ILD.Besides,49 patients suffered from pulmonary infections in the first year after diagnosis.Conclusions MPA patients who presented with different pulmonary involvement patterns have completely different clinical features.These subtypes probably have different pathogenesis and should be studied separately.

Prognosis of microscopic polyangiitis with renal involvement:report of 60 Chinese patients

With the widespread clinical application of renal biopsy and serum antineutrophil cytoplasmicantibody （ANCA） testing, the percentage of renal injuries caused by systemic small vessel vasculitis （ SVV ） including microscopic polyangiitis （ MPA ） and Wegener＇ s granulomatosis （WG） is on the rise in China. According to our previous report, SVV constituted 1.09% of diagnoses from all renal biopsies （5. 8% in secondary nephritis） and 14.4% of that from renal biopsies from patients with chronic renal failure,

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for pulmonary hemorrhage in microscopic polyangiitis

Microscopic polyangiitis （MPA） is characterized by an inflammatory process of the vessel walls and is classified according to the smallest vessels involved. Diagnosis is based on clinical manifestations, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody （ANCA） testing, and histology. In this disease, pulmonary hemorrhage is seen in 30% of patients and is associated with an eight-fold increase in mortality. Classically, MPA involves the kidneys and upper and lower respiratory tracts. Due to the perceived risk of increased bleeding secondary to the use of systemic anticoagulation, extra corporeal membrane oxygenation （ECMO） is often not used to treat patients with hemorrhage suffered from MPA. Here we report a case of a 50-year-old woman with MPA that was successfully supported with ECMO.

rare type of pancreatitis as the first presentation ofanti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-related vasculitis

A pancreatic tumor was suspected on the abdominal ultrasound of a 72-year-old man. Abdominal computed tomography showed pancreatic enlargement as well as a diffuse, poorly enhanced area in the pancreas; endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography failed to provide a definitive diagnosis. Based on the trend of improvement of the pancreatic enlargement, the treatment plan involved follow-up examinations. Later, he was hospitalized with an alveolar hemorrhage and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis; he tested positive for myeloperoxidase-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody(ANCA) and was diagnosed with ANCArelated vasculitis, specifically microscopic polyangiitis. It appears that factors such as thrombus formation caused by the vasculitis in the early stages of ANCArelated vasculitis cause abnormal distribution of the pancreatic blood flow, resulting in non-uniform pancreatitis. Pancreatic lesions in ANCA-related vasculitis are very rare. Only a few cases have been reported previously. Therefore, we report our case and a review of the literature.

Olfactory dysfunction in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodyassociated vasculitides: A review of the literature

Olfactory dysfunction(OD)has been described in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitides(AAV),but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood.The causes of altered smell function can generally be divided into conductive,sensorineural or others.To date no specific treatment is available for AAV-related OD and the efficacy of currently available options has not been explored.The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the causes that may lead to OD in patients with AAV.Current available treatments for OD and possible options in patients with AAV presenting with smell impairment are also mentioned.

Urological manifestations and treatment of the primary systemic vasculitides

The primary systemic vasculitides(PSV) are a group of rare inflammatory disorders affecting blood vessels of varying size and multiple organs. Urological manifestations of PSV are uncommon. Testicular vasculitis is the most commonly reported finding and is associated with Polyarteritis Nodosa(PAN), Henoch-Sch?nleinPurpura(HSP), anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated Vasculitides(AAV), Giant Cell Arteritis(GCA) and Kawasaki disease. Prostatic vasculitis has been reported in association with GCA and AAV. Ureteric involvement has been noted in PAN, HSP and AAV. Other urogenital manifestations of PSV include genital ulceration and bladder dysfunction in Beh?ets Disease and haematuria which is commonly seen in many of the PSV. Finally, therapies used to treat the PSV, especially cyclophosphamide, are associated with urological sideeffects including haemorrhagic cystitis and urothelial malignancy. The aim of this review is to examine how the urological system is involved in the PSV. Each PSV is examined in turn, with a brief clinical description of the disease followed by a description of the urological manifestations and management. Identification of urological manifestations of PSV is important as in many cases symptoms may improve with immunosuppressive therapy, avoiding the need for invasive surgery. Additionally, patients who present with isolated urogenital PSV are at higher risk of developing subsequent systemic vasculitis and will need to be followed up closely.