CLINICAL CASES   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2004 February;163(1):15-7

Copyright © 2004 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Wegner’s granulomatosis. A case report

Pellicanò S. ¹, Calzone R. ¹, Raimo C. ², Calabrese G. ², Mangano C. ², Foti G. ²

¹ ASL n. 5, Ospedale «S. Giovanni di Dio», Crotone; ² Azienda Ospedaliera “Bianchi-Melacrinò-Morelli”, P.O. Ospedali Riuniti, Reggio Calabria

Wegener’s granulomatosis is characterized by necrotizing granulomas with vasculitis in the upper and lower respiratory tracts, systemic vasculitis and focal glomerulonephritis. A case of Wegener’s disease and its diagnostic iter is described. Stress is laid on the importance of anti-cytoplasm antibodies (c-ANCA) specific for active disease, but also present in paucimmune glomerulonephritis without extrarenal interest, microscopic polyarteritis and Churg-Strauss’s disease. The c-ANCA results should be interpreted on the basis of the clinical picture and in relation to the disease activity. Stress is laid also on not necessity of lung biopsy while the c-ANCA positivity is strongly probative.