Vasculitis
Executive Summary
Substantial advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of the three major forms of vasculitis—antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, giant cell arteritis, and IgG4-related disease—have occurred over the past two decades. However, clinical management of patients with vasculitis remains challenging, and treatment options are limited. Glucocorticoids remain the mainstay of therapy, with two targeted therapies (tocilizumab and avacopan) now approved for specific types of vasculitis. Although treatment can lead to remission of disease, sustained remission without ongoing maintenance therapy is not viable. As the knowledge of these conditions has expanded, stark polarisations within each form of vasculitis have emerged.
This Series in The Lancet Rheumatology explores these pathophysiological polarisations with two complimentary reviews on each major vasculitide, exploring the two ends of each disease spectrum, with the aim of inspiring clinicians and scientists to gain a better understanding of, and to ultimately aid in developing better treatment options for patients across the spectre of these three diseases.
