Health Topic

Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), previously known as Wegener's granulomatosis is a type of vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels.

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Also called: GPA · Wegener's Granulomatosis

Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

About Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), previously known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is a rare disease. It is a type of vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels. The inflammation limits the flow of blood to important organs, causing damage. It can affect any organ, but it mainly affects the sinuses, nose, trachea (windpipe), lungs, and kidneys.

The cause of GPA is unknown. It can affect people at any age. Men and women are equally affected. It is more common in whites. Symptoms may include joint pain, weakness, tiredness, and cold symptoms such as a runny nose that doesn't get better. Doctors use blood tests, chest X-rays, and biopsies to diagnose GPA and rule out other causes of the symptoms.

Early treatment is important. Most people improve with medicines to slow or stop the inflammation.

It sits within Blood, Heart and Circulation, Kidneys and Urinary System and Lungs and Breathing.

The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.

Research on Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

136 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.

What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.

Research currently under way

Research already completed

Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.

Where to read more

Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.

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Genetics

Clinical Trials

Medical subject headings

Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.

This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.