Background: ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) with renal involvement is not uncommon in older individuals.\nUnfortunately, this can be catastrophic requiring hemodialysis (HD) and may lead to end stage renal disease (ESRD).\nHowever, more than 50 % of patients with AAV who require HD initially have renal recovery and discontinue HD.\nThe aim of this study was to describe a retrospective cohort of older patients with AAV and severe renal involvement\nwhich required hemodialysis.\nMethods: Between 1995 and 2013 a total of 30 patients with histologic evidence of pauci-immune glomerulonephritis\nwho required HD were evaluated at a single university center. The association of demographic and clinical parameters\nwith age was assessed. Older age of disease onset was defined as age ?60 years. The risk of developing ESRD at 3\nmonths was examined using univariate logistic regression analysis.\nResults: Among 30 patients with AAV who required HD, the mean age of disease onset was 59 �± 17 years (range\n22-88 years). Twelve patients were in the older age group, and 18 were in the younger group. Three months after\ndiagnosis, 43 % of the cohort had ESRD with a statistically similar proportion of older (n = 9, 50 %) versus younger\n(n = 4, 33 %) patients (p = 0.367). Most patients (93 %) received immunosuppressive therapy. There was not a\nstatistically significant association between age and ESRD.\nConclusions: These data suggest that age alone does not predict renal recovery among individuals on HD due to\nAAV. Renal recovery is a realistic expectation and outcome, if patients are treated, even among older patients with\nAAV who require HD initially.
Loading....