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. Issue 2 (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yumura, Wako; Kobayashi, Shigeto; Suka, Machi; Hayashi, Taichi; Ito, Satoshi; Nagafuchi, Hiroko; Yamada, Hidehiro; Ozaki, Shoichi
• Is Part Of: Modern rheumatology. Volume 24:Issue 2(2014)
• Page Start: 304
• Page End: 309
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: Rheumatology -- Periodicals; 616.723005
• DOI: 10.3109/14397595.2013.854075
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1439-7595

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objectives.</italic> 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.</p> <p> <italic>Methods.</italic> 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.</p> <p> <italic>Results.</italic> 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.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusions.</italic> 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.</p> </abstract>