The purpose of this study is to find out whether hydroxychloroquine, in addition to
background treatments, reduces disease activity in patients with Anti-Neutrophilic
Cytoplasmic Autoantibodies (ANCA) Vasculitis, a group of autoimmune diseases.
Hydroxychloroquine and is an established, effective, safe and inexpensive therapy, widely
used in other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
The study is open to adults diagnosed with certain types of vasculitis, called Granulomatosis
Polyangiitis (GPA), Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA) or Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with
Polyangiitis (EGPA). Participants will be eligible if they are treated with background
medication to control their vasculitis disease and have a low level of disease activity as
defined by a Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) of greater than 3.
Participants will be randomly placed in 1 of 2 groups. Both groups will be given background
medication. One group will receive hydroxychloroquine and the other will receive placebo.
Participants will be on treatment for 1 year.
76 ANCA Vasculitis participants will be recruited (38 in each treatment arm) from UK
vasculitis specialist centres over 2 years.