Maintenance treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitides.

ANCA-associated vasculitis(AAV) covers a group of systemic necrotising vasculitides characterised by inflammation of small vessels, sometimes with granuloma, and associated with autoantibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic proteases (proteinase-3 or myeloperoxidase). Potentially lethal if not promptly diagnosed and treated, AAV in most patients can be induced into remission with the current treatment modalities. However, the risk of relapse remains high, necessitating prolonged immunosuppressive or immunomodulating maintenance therapy, whose optimal duration remains undetermined. Herein, we review only maintenance treatments for AAVs.