Figure 1.

STROBE flowchart for the selection of the patient with active antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) with glomerulonephritis (AVV-GN) and eGFR <15 ml/min per 1.73 m² at diagnosis. Active renal involvement was defined by the presence of either (i) active, biopsy-proven, pauci-immune glomerulonephritis; (ii) red blood cell casts on urine microscopy; or (iii) rise in serum creatinine (SCr) >30% (or >25% decline in creatinine clearance) attributed to active vasculitis. Patients were grouped according to the addition of PLEX to remission-induction and according to the need of dialysis. eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; FU, follow-up; GPA, granulomatosis with polyangiitis; MPA, microscopic polyangiitis; PLEX, plasma exchange.