title: Diagnostic approach to ANCA-associated vasculitides.
abstract: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAV) include Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, and Churg-Strauss syndrome. Given their rarity, protean clinical manifestations, imperfect diagnostic tests, and wide differential diagnosis, they pose a diagnostic challenge even to experienced clinicians. This article describes diagnostic approaches for patients suspected of having one of the ANCA-associated vasculitides. The clinical findings at presentation, the role of laboratory and imaging tests, and the importance of tissue diagnosis are presented. In each section, issues relevant to the differential diagnosis of AAV are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham and Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA. agaffo@uab.edu
authors.forename: Angelo L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Gaffo
mesh_terms: D056648:Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000097:blood*; D001706:Biopsy; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D053146:Myeloblastin / Q000276:immunology; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000276:immunology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D009195:Peroxidase; D053146:Myeloblastin