SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination as a Trigger for Perinuclear Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (p-ANCA) Associated With Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was devastating worldwide. The introduction of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 vaccination has reduced transmission, hospitalizations, and deaths, with infrequent major side effects. We present the case of a 51-year-old woman with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis following COVID-19 vaccination with ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca). Workup and histopathologic examination demonstrated active extracapillary proliferative lesions in cellular and fibrocellular crescents with extensive fibrinoid necrosis and karyorrhexis with diffuse glomerulonephritis, as well as positive perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Treatment with cyclophosphamide and steroids was initiated with the improvement of renal function. Similar cases were seen with influenza vaccination, potentially describing vaccination as a possible trigger for anti-myeloperoxidase rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.