There has been a considerable improvement in the survival of patients with systemic vasculitis since the introduction of immunosuppressive therapy and improved diagnostic tools to allow earlier diagnosis. We review the published literature on current risk of mortality in patients with small vessel antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody- (ANCA) associated vasculitis including Wegener's granulomatosis (survival rate of approximately 75% at 5 years), microscopic polyangiitis (survival rate of 45% to ...