Lesson of the month: Severe granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA): a diagnostic challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Qurratulain, Qurratulain; Ahmed, Azeem; Jones, Quentin
- Source
- Clinical Medicine. Jan2021, Vol. 21 Issue 1, p79-80. 2p.
- Subject
- *WEGENER'S granulomatosis diagnosis
*PNEUMONIA
*ANTINEUTROPHIL cytoplasmic antibodies
*COVID-19 pandemic
- Language
- ISSN
- 1470-2118
We present the case of a 71-year-old woman with bilateral pneumonia who continued to deteriorate despite multiple courses of antibiotics. When dexamethasone was added to cover the possibility of COVID-19 pneumonia, she rapidly improved. Subsequently, she was found to have a strongly positive PR3 anti-nuclear cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and clinical features consistent with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) with upper respiratory tract and renal involvement. The case highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic can create new challenges in the diagnosis of GPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]