Clinical Focus ›› 2025, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (9): 801-810.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-583X.2025.09.005

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The role of anemia in evaluating disease severity and prognosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis

Chen Lu, Qi Xiaojing, Han Runhong, Xing Guangqun()   

  1. Department of Nephrology,the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University,Qingdao 266555,China
  • Received:2025-06-05 Online:2025-09-20 Published:2025-09-26
  • Contact: Xing Guangqun E-mail:xinggq@qdu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the etiology of anemia in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), and to evaluate the value of baseline anemia severity, anemia subtypes, therapeutic responses in determining the severity of AAV as well as their association with renal prognosis and all-cause mortality. Methods A total of 157 AAV patients diagnosed in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between 2013 and 2022 were enrolled. Patients were stratified into the non-anemia, mild anemia, and moderate-severe anemia groups based on baseline hemoglobin levels. Etiologies of anemia were systematically analyzed. Dynamic treatment response and changes in hemoglobin levels were tracked post-treatment. Patients were categorized into four groups (HH, HL, LH, LL) according to baseline-to-endpoint hemoglobin trends (H: high; L: low). Renal outcomes and mortality were compared across groups. Results Among 157 AAV patients, there were 82 (52.2%) female and 75 (47.8%) male patients, with a median age of 67 (20-86) years. A total of 137 myeloperoxidase (MPO)-ANCA-positive, 18 proteinase 3 (PR3)-ANCA-positive, and 2 dual-positive cases were detected. The mean follow-up duration was 37±30 months. By study endpoint, 28 patients progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and 31 died. Anemia was prevalent at baseline, with only 11 non-anemic patients. A total of 67 had mild anemia, and 79 had moderate-to-severe anemia. The top 4 etiologies of anemia included anemia of inflammation (AI), renal anemia, infection-related anemia, and cardiorenal anemia syndrome. Single-etiology anemia was rare (9/146, 6.16%), while multifactorial anemia predominated (137/146, 93.84%). A higher number of etiological factors of anemia correlated with worse renal prognosis. Hemoglobin trajectory analysis revealed that the HH group (persistently high hemoglobin) exhibited the lowest all-cause mortality and highest renal survival, whereas the LL group (persistently low hemoglobin) had the highest incidence of ESRD progression (P<0.05) and mortality rate (P<0.05). Conclusion Anemia in AAV is a dynamic and clinically significant biomarker for disease activity and prognosis. Its occurrence strongly correlates with disease activity (the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score [BVAS]) and is predominantly multifactorial. Therapeutic response to anemia correction serves as an independent predictor of renal function deterioration and all-cause mortality.

Key words: ANCA-associated vasculitis, anemia, comprehensive evaluation, prognosis

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