On February 25, the international guideline "Plasma exchange and glucocorticoid dosing for patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis: a clinical practice guideline" was published in the authoritative biomedical journal British Medical Journal (BMJ). The West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University is the first work unit of the Guideline, and Associate Professor Linan Zeng is the first author. The impact factor of the article is 39.890.

The international guideline panel is made up of clinicians, methodologists, patients and care givers from China, Canada, the United States, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and New Zealand.“The recommendations were made with the understanding that patients would place a high value on reduction in ESKD and less value on avoiding serious infections. The panel concluded that most (50-90%) of fully informed patients with AAV and with low or low-moderate risk of developing ESKD with or without pulmonary haemorrhage would decline plasma exchange, whereas most patients with moderate-high or high risk or requiring dialysis with or without pulmonary haemorrhage would choose to receive plasma exchange. The panel also inferred that the majority of fully informed patients with pulmonary haemorrhage without kidney involvement would decline plasma exchange and that all or almost all (≥90%) fully informed patients with AAV would choose a reduced dose regimen of glucocorticoids during the first 6 months of therapy.” (the Guideline)