Hepatic and pulmonary involvement in a patient with PR3-ANCA vasculitis following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: A case report

Abstract

We here report the first case of anti-proteinase 3-positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis following the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine presenting with prominent liver involvement and alveolar haemorrhage. Two weeks after vaccination, a 49-year-old man developed inflammatory arthralgias and hypertransaminasaemia. Two months later, fever and haemoptysis appeared; the patient tested positive for anti-proteinase 3 autoantibodies. High-dose steroids and rituximab were started, and complete remission was achieved. Systemic autoimmune diseases, including ANCA-associated vasculitis, should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of hypertransaminasaemia, especially when the clinical context is suspicious.