TWEAK Protein In Urine May Function As Active Disease Activity Biomarker Among Patients With AAV, Study Finds

ANCA Vasculitis News (7/2, Maia) reports a study found that “in adults with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), the amount of TWEAK protein in urine was about 50% as high when their disease was active as after six months of treatment, making it a useful biomarker for tracking disease activity.” Researchers observed that in 57% of study participants with active AAV, “the disease had affected the kidneys. At the start, all but seven had begun induction treatment – within a median of five days – to drive disease activity into remission. By six months, 55 or 74% were on maintenance treatment with azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, methotrexate, or rituximab.” Researchers concluded, “Our findings indicate a role for TWEAK in AAV and suggest that [urinary TWEAK] could be a potential noninvasive biomarker.” The study was published in the Clinical Kidney Journal.