Lupus Autoimmune and Vasculitis Alliance

of Oceania

(k)LAVA for kidney

A Rare Diseases Network

Chronic kidney disease is spreading across Hawai‘i and the Pacific Islands

Some causes are silent and take years before erupting

Although rarer than diabetes or hypertension, conditions like lupus nephritis and IgA nephropathy are serious and common in Hawai'i and across Oceania.

kLAVA is working in Hawai'i to build awareness and provide the tools to help you navigate these rare diseases of the kidney.

what is vasculitis?

Inflammation is your body's natural response to fight infections.

For yet unknown reasons, your immune system may attack uninfected structures of your own body and when they involve the blood vessels it is called vasculitis.

Some types of vasculitis include giant cell arteritis, Takayasu's arteritis and polyarteritis nodosa

Lupus Nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a well known but rare disease. It is an autoimmune disease which can affect your joints or any organ. When it attacks the smallest vessels in the kidney it is known as Lupus Nephritis

IgA Nephropathy and IgA vasculitis

IgA is a protein antibody that can get trapped and cause inflammation in the kidney. Although like lupus nephritis it targets small vessels in the kidney. It is not considered a vasculitis but experts believe it is an autoimmune disease.

What is IgA nephropathy

IgA Nephropathy-Nephcure

IgA Nephropathy Foundation

When the antibody attacks the vessels of the skin or intestines it is called IgA vasculitis or Henoch Scholein Purpura. Most people do not get both.

ANCA associated vasculitis

A very rare form of inflammation attacking the smallest of vessels in your body that are categorized with a positive test in the blood for antibodies against a type of inflammatory cell, the neutrophil. They are one type of small vessel vasculitis in the kidney but can also target the small vessels of the lung.

ANCA Vasculitis

ANCA Vasculitis in Kidney

A Medical Odyssey

Too often the signs and symptoms of vasculitis and kidney diseases associated with these immune system disorders are vague.

Sometimes the disease strikes one organ or multiple organs at different times leading to a medical odyssey and delay in diagnosis.

Delays in diagnosis can lead to scar like cooled lava and damage anything in its path.

The Lupus Autoimmune and Vasculitis Alliance of Oceania has been built to help navigate the vast complexity of these diseases for the people who live and work in Hawaii and throughout Oceania.

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