A Cavitary Lesion in a Patient with Antineutrophilic Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA) Associated Vasculitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Patients with antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis who were on immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids may be susceptible to cavitary lesions. ¹ Only a few cases have been reported in the literature to date. Immunosuppression was shown to improve prognosis in patients with vasculitis. However, adverse therapy events and the risk of opportunistic infections become a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this specific patient population. We present a case of a 75-year-old female who was diagnosed and treated in our hospital for ANCA-associated vasculitis and returned within a few weeks of medical therapy and was found to have developed cavitation concerning for worsening vasculitis or an opportunistic fungal infection or combination of both. Given the risk of severe complications from opportunistic fungal infections, close monitoring and prophylactic antifungal therapy should be considered. Further studies are needed to evaluate the benefit of prophylaxis in this patient population.