title: A nephrological view of the classification of vasculitis.
abstract: From the nephrologic perspective, a nomenclature system has been proposed that is clinically useful for diagnosis, classification and therapy. This nomenclature allows the nephrologist to consider the best approach to ANCA positive patients with necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis. It allows for better understanding of the extra-renal manifestations of disease especially those with pulmonary-renal syndrome. The classification system allows for the rapid introduction of immunosuppressive therapy in individuals without repetitive search for specific pathological features on biopsy. This classification system allows for the possibility that all of these conditions are pathogenically related. As such, it separates this group of diseases from those which are attributable to immune complex disease or direct antibody binding. For this nomenclature system to stand the test of time it must be simple, logical and clinically usefully. While not yet perfected, the working nomenclature for ANCA-associated diseases is a step forward.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jennette
mesh_terms: D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D005921:Glomerulonephritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies