Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCA) and Strategies for Diagnosing ANCA-Associated Vasculitides

Inflammation of and damage to blood vessel walls are the shared defining features of all vasculitides. The symptoms vary depending on the size of the vessels affected, the organs they serve, the underlying cause of the vasculitis, and the activity of the disease. The vasculitic diseases are rare. Since there are only 20 to 50 new cases of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitides per 1,000,000 people per year (1, 2), a systematic and thorough diagnostic algorithm is needed to correctly identify patients with the disease (3, 4). Missed or delayed diagnosis can result in permanent organ injury or even death (5, 6).