| Abstrakt: |
Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is an uncommon autoimmune disease characterized by small vessel inflammation, most often involving the respiratory or renal systems. Although the etiology is currently unknown, evidence suggests that environmental factors and a genetic predisposition interact to create an inappropriate autoimmune response. Wegener's granulomatosis is characterized by the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), which have long been suspected of involvement in disease pathology. This suspicion is supported by ongoing research, although much remains to be done in identifying risk factors for developing WG and elucidating all factors contributing to the disease pathophysiology. This manuscript will review basic information about WG, ANCA production, and their role in WG pathology, and discuss differential diagnosis based on common presentation symptoms and clinical laboratory testing results.After reading this article, the reader should be able to identify disease criteria and specifics of laboratory testing used in the differential diagnosis of Wegener's granulomatosis from other small vessel vasculitides.Immunology Exam 40702 questions and corresponding answer form are located after the CE Update section on p. 441 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
