Background: Diagnosis of vasculitides remains of paramount importance to ensure appropriate management. Ceruloplasmin is an acute phase protein that has antiprotease and antioxidant properties and inhibits myeloperoxidase. Objectives: This study has been undertaken to assess the potential role of ceruloplasmin as a marker of pediatric renal vasculitis. Methods: Ceruloplasrnin was studied in 80 subjects between 5 and 15 years of age with different clinical
Conditions  potentially associated with renal vasculitis and 20 controls. Cases included 30 patients with nephritic syndrome: 10 with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN), 20 with systemic lupus and 20 with other vasculitis syndromes. Results: Ceruloplasrnin was significantly elevated in those with nephritis, lupus nephritis and RPGN. Those with positive ANCA (18 cases) had higher ceruloplasmin (0.51 * 0.3 g/L compared to 0.35 * 0.2 g/L in negative cases. p = 0.01). Those with pANCA had even higher levels (0.62 * 0.3 g/L). Those with biopsy evidence of vasculitis had higher ceruloplasmin than those without (0.46 * 0.3 g/L and 0.28 * 0.07 g/L respectively, p = 0.0 I). Conclusion: Ceruoplasmin is elevated in children with renal vasculitis and may be a useful non-invasive diagnostic test.