Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis is a small vessel vasculitis of which microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a subset. They are known to cause life threatening renal failure and/or pulmonary hemorrhage. Viruses are a known trigger of vasculitis, including MPA. (1) We present a case of MPA caused by COVID-19 presenting as diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) CASE PRESENTATION: 55 year old female with a past medical history of hemorrhagic stroke, hypertension & asthma who presented with respiratory distress & severe hypoxemia. At the time of intubation, a moderate amount of blood was suctioned from her endotracheal tube. She was profoundly hypoxemic & required 100% FiO2 and PEEP 18 cmH2O. A SARS CoV2 PCR test was positive. Other admission laboratory values were significant for a creatinine of 4.9 mg/dL (baseline: 0.8mg/dL), hemoglobin of 8 g/dL (baseline: 11.8g/dL), ferritin 569 ng/mL, D-dimer 3.18 ug/mL, CRP 62.8 mg/L, ESR 118 mm/hr. Chest X-ray showed dense bilateral airspace opacities. A CT scan showed extensive bilateral consolidations with air bronchograms that were not typical for a COVID-19 pneumonia (Image 1) except in the apices where these dense consolidations had a peripheral pattern. She was admitted to the medical ICU where she continued to have bleeding into her endotracheal tubing. Bronchoscopy showed blood in the airways diffusely with no focality to the bleeding. A bronchoalveolar lavage was performed of two separate lobes, and was notable for progressively bloody aliquots consistent with DAH. Because of concern for a pulmonary-renal syndrome, rheumatologic testing was performed. She was empirically treated with high dose intravenous steroids and plasmapheresis. Unfortunately, profound hypoxia persisted and family elected to withdraw life-sustaining therapies. Two days after her death, serologies revealed a mildly positive ANA and a strongly positive anti-MPO ANCA, suggesting the diagnosis of MPA.

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Hypertension is the most prevalent cardiac risk factor. In the United some estimates show 60% of 60-year-olds, 70% of 70-year-olds, an 80% of 80-year-olds being hypertensive. Often, blood pressure becomes resistant or refractory. Device therapy represents a new approach to treating this disease. The best studied of these nonpharmacologic approaches to resistant/refractory hypertension include renal denervation, carotid sinus stimulators, and central arteriovenous fistula placement. This chapter will focus on novel device therapy and literature review of its use in clinical trials.

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