title: Assessment of the Birmingham vasculitis activity score in patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis: sub-analysis from a study by the Japanese Study Group for MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the study cohort enrolled in a prospective open-label, multicenter trial conducted by the Japanese Study Group for MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis (JMAAV), we conducted this sub-analysis to establish the validity of the Birminghan vasculitis activity score (BVAS) for Japanese patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recorded the BVAS at the time of diagnosis, at 6 weeks after the diagnosis, and at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months after the diagnosis in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequently involved organs in the patients were the lungs, kidneys and the nervous system. The kidney (BVAS; new/worse 69.2 %, persistent 40.4 %), general (BVAS; new/worse 67.3 %, persistent 53.8 %), chest (BVAS; new/worse 36.5 %, persistent 46.2 %) and nervous system (BVAS; new/worse 38.5 %, persistent 25.0 %) were the organ systems most frequently involved by the disease at the baseline. The BVAS for new/worse disease decreased immediately after induction therapy, while improvement of the BVAS for persistent disease after therapy differed among the organ systems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BVAS was demonstrated to be a valuable guide for selection of the optimal treatment. Thus, BVAS was also found to be a useful tool in Japanese patients for the assessment of disease activity and degree of organ damage in patients with MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Internal Medicine, International University of Health and Warfare Hospital , Nasushiobara , Japan.
authors.forename: Wako
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yumura
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Machi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suka
authors.forename: Taichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagafuchi
authors.forename: Hidehiro
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D056648:Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012074:Remission Induction / Q000379:methods; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents