Crescentic glomerulonephritis in ANCA associated vasculitis

ANCA vasculitis is an example of an autoimmune disease that affects the smallest blood vessels in the body. It is a rare disease that can result in kidney failure. This dissertation is a compilation of studies on ANCA vasculitis. As the level of initial kidney damage predicts whether kidney failure is likely to develop, early detection of the disease is of paramount importance. A substance in the blood called CTGF is indicative of kidney scarring, which also contributes to the development of kidney failure. Patients are at increased risk of developing thrombosis during treatment. Unfortunately, the majority of patients suffering from ANCA vasculitis have a genetic profile that leads to a rapid recurrence of the disease after treatment has finished.