Formation of the Australia and New Zealand Vasculitis Society (ANZVASC) to improve the care of patients with vasculitis in Australian and New Zealand

The term vasculitis encompasses a group of disorders that result in the inflammation of blood vessels. These disorders can lead to irreversible damage in many organ systems. In Australia and New Zealand, practitioners from numerous specialties including rheumatology, immunology, nephrology, respiratory medicine, dermatology, ophthalmology, neurology and ear nose and throat (ENT) surgery manage patients with vasculitis. Not surprisingly, the patient’s experience of medical care can become fragmented. Australia and New Zealand centres have been active in vasculitis research over many years. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) were first described in Melbourne in 1982 by Davies et al., helping to define a major category of small vessel vasculitis – ANCAassociated vasculitis (AAV).1,2 This discovery led to further local research into ANCA testing and input into international testing guidelines.3 More recently, mechanistic studies have examined the loss of tolerance to ANCA antigens and the involvement of T cells in tissue injury,4 as well as the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and disease.5 In addition, there is ongoing collaborative research into the contribution of genetic variation in the initiation and outcome of vasculitis.