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Consideration concerning similarities and differences between ANCA-associated vasculitis and IgG-4-related diseases: case series and review of literature

Immunologic Research volume 67, pages 99–107 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and immunoglobulin G4-related diseases (IgG4-RD) are regarded as entirely different disease types with different etiological mechanisms. However, we experienced two cases that had clinical features of both AAV and IgG4-RD. The first case is an 81-year-old woman who showed periaortitis and retroperitoneal fibrosis and periarteritis with elevation of myeloperoxidase-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and IgG4 levels. The second case is a 63-year-old woman who had dura mater, ear, nose, lung, and kidney involvement with serum negative for ANCA and elevated IgG4. Renal biopsy revealed tubulointerstitial nephritis involving IgG4+ plasma cells (IgG4+/IgG+ cell ratio of ≥ 40%). On the other hand, lung biopsy showed features of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). These two cases suggested that AAV and IgG4-RD might overlap. To investigate the similarities and differences between AAV and IgG4-RD, we retrospectively analyzed 13 cases of typical GPA, a subtype of AAV, and 13 cases of typical IgG4-RD at our hospital for comparison of clinical features and found some differences that can be useful in the differential diagnosis between the two diseases. Although AAV and IgG4-RD are distinguishable based on characteristic findings in many cases, the diagnosis can be unclear in rare cases, in which clinicians should consider possible coexistence of AAV and IgG4-RD when performing further workup. Here, we discuss the similarities and differences between AAV and IgG4-RD on the basis of our results and past literature.

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Funding

This research was funded entirely by the authors themselves, with no funding from outside sources.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Rheumatology and Allergy, Japanese Red Cross Society Narita Hospital, 90-1, Iida-cho, Narita-shi, Chiba, 286-8523, Japan

    Hirotoshi Kawashima, Atsunari Utsugi, Asuka Shibamiya, Kazuma Iida, Norihiro Mimura, Takao Yanagisawa & Masaki Hiraguri

  2. Department of Nephrology, Japanese Red Cross Society Narita Hospital, 90-1, Iida-cho, Narita-shi, Chiba, 286-8523, Japan

    Hirohumi Ohashi

  3. Department of Infectious Diseases, Japanese Red Cross Society Narita Hospital, 90-1, Iida-cho, Narita-shi, Chiba, 286-8523, Japan

    Ryota Hase

  4. Department of Pathology, Japanese Red Cross Society Narita Hospital, 90-1, Iida-cho, Narita-shi, Chiba, 286-8523, Japan

    Makio Kawakami

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  1. Hirotoshi Kawashima
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  2. Atsunari Utsugi
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  3. Asuka Shibamiya
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  4. Kazuma Iida
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  6. Hirohumi Ohashi
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  7. Ryota Hase
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  8. Makio Kawakami
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  9. Takao Yanagisawa
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  10. Masaki Hiraguri
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Correspondence to Hirotoshi Kawashima.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the ethical committee of Narita Red Cross Hospital and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Data obtained in this study did not interfere with course of treatment for patients included.

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Kawashima, H., Utsugi, A., Shibamiya, A. et al. Consideration concerning similarities and differences between ANCA-associated vasculitis and IgG-4-related diseases: case series and review of literature. Immunol Res 67, 99–107 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-019-9070-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-019-9070-7

Keywords

  • ANCA-associated vasculitis
  • IgG4-related disease
  • Similarity and difference
  • Retroperitoneal fibrosis
  • Granulomatosis with polyangiitis