Diagnosing and Treating ANCA-Associated Vasculitis within the COVID-19 Era: A Challenging Case Report
AJTES Vol 9, No 1, January 2025
Likaj E., et al. - Diagnosing and Treating ANCA-Associated Vasculitis...

Keywords

ANCA-associated vasculitis
crescentic glomerulonephritis
acute kidney injury
plasma exchange
hemodialysis
pulmonary-renal syndrome

How to Cite

Likaj, E., Shehaj, L., Nunci, D., Nunci, L., Rrugeja, I., Rroji, M., Seferi, S., Gjonaj, N., Idrizi, A., & Strakosha, A. (2025). Diagnosing and Treating ANCA-Associated Vasculitis within the COVID-19 Era: A Challenging Case Report. Albanian Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, 9(1), 1718-1722. https://doi.org/10.32391/ajtes.v9i1.445

Abstract

Introduction: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)- associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare group of systemic autoimmune diseases that primarily target small blood vessels. Renal manifestations often present as pauci-immune focal and segmental necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis (PI-NCGN), which can progress to acute or chronic kidney failure and multiorgan involvement. It is frequently associated with poor outcomes.

We report a case of PR3-positive ANCA-associated vasculitis complicated by rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, acute kidney injury, and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage during the COVID-19 pandemic. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of differentiating AAV from conditions associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, as the clinical and radiological presentations of pulmonary-renal syndromes may overlap.

The findings underscore the importance of maintaining a comprehensive differential diagnosis in patients with pulmonary and renal involvement, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era, to ensure timely and accurate management of rare autoimmune conditions such as AAV.

Conclusion: ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, particularly in the post-COVID-19 era, where overlapping clinical and radiological features with SARS-CoV-2 complications can obscure timely identification. This case highlights the critical importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis in patients presenting with pulmonary-renal syndromes to differentiate AAV from more common conditions associated with COVID-19.

https://doi.org/10.32391/ajtes.v9i1.445
Likaj E., et al. - Diagnosing and Treating ANCA-Associated Vasculitis...

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