Leading Experts Emphasise Early Diagnosis and Multidisciplinary Care for Pulmonary Vasculitis at National Symposium in Kolkata

Kolkata, 28 June 2026: Reinforcing the importance of early recognition and collaborative management of pulmonary vasculitis, leading pulmonologists, rheumatologists, radiologists and pathologists from across the country convened in Kolkata for the Symposium on Pulmonary Vasculitis. Held today, the one-day scientific symposium served as a premier platform for clinicians to discuss emerging evidence, complex case scenarios and evolving treatment strategies for one of the most challenging autoimmune disorders affecting the lungs. The symposium, organised under the banner of AeroCon Kolkata, was accredited with 5 WBMC Credit Hours and witnessed participation from healthcare professionals across specialities. The symposium was organised under the leadership of Dr Debraj Jash, HOD – Pulmonology, Manipal Hospital EM Bypass & Salt Lake Cluster (Broadway + Salt Lake), as the Organising Secretary, with Dr Arghya Chattopadhyay, Consultant – Rheumatology, Manipal Hospital Mukundapur, and Dr Parthajit Das, Senior Consultant – Rheumatologist, Manipal Hospital Broadway, serving as the joint organising secretaries. The organising committee included Dr Ayush Goel, Consultant – Interventional Pulmonologist, Manipal Hospital Dhakuria; Dr Smartya Pulai, Senior Consultant – Nephrology & Kidney Transplant, Manipal Hospital Mukundapur; and Dr Kamalika Majumder, whose collective efforts contributed to the successful conduct of the symposium.

Pulmonary vasculitis refers to a group of rare autoimmune diseases that cause inflammation of blood vessels in the lungs and other organs. Often presenting with non-specific symptoms such as persistent cough, breathlessness, fever, or coughing up blood, the condition is frequently difficult to diagnose in its early stages. If left untreated, it can result in irreversible lung damage, kidney involvement and other life-threatening complications, making timely diagnosis and multidisciplinary intervention critical for improving patient outcomes. The scientific programme featured keynote lectures, expert panel discussions and interactive case-based sessions covering the entire spectrum of pulmonary vasculitis. Key topics included recognising clinical red flags, interpretation of autoantibodies, radiological and pathological diagnosis, ANCA-associated vasculitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), MPO-ANCA-associated interstitial lung disease, pulmonary-renal syndrome, management strategies and medico-legal considerations in day-to-day clinical practice.

The symposium brought together an eminent national faculty comprising Dr Randeep Guleria, Medanta – The Medicity; Dr Deepak Talwar; Dr Aman Sharma; Dr Dhruva Chaudhry; Dr Amanjit Bal; Dr Harjit Dumra; and Dr Suman S.V., along with several other renowned experts, fostering meaningful discussions on improving the diagnosis and management of pulmonary vasculitis. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Randeep Guleria, Chairman – Institute of Internal Medicine & Respiratory & Sleep Medicine, Medanta – The Medicity, said, “Pulmonary vasculitis often presents with symptoms that mimic several common respiratory illnesses, making early diagnosis particularly challenging. Delays in recognising the disease can significantly impact patient outcomes by allowing irreversible damage to the lungs and other vital organs. Strengthening awareness among clinicians, encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration and adopting evidence-based treatment strategies are essential to ensuring timely intervention and improving long-term outcomes. Scientific forums such as these play an important role in translating the latest research into better patient care.”

Sharing his perspective, Dr Debraj Jash, HOD – Pulmonology, Manipal Hospital EM Bypass & Salt Lake Cluster (Broadway + Salt Lake), and Organising Secretary of the symposium, said, “Pulmonary vasculitis remains an under-recognised yet potentially life-threatening disease that demands a high index of clinical suspicion and coordinated care across specialities. Through this symposium, we aimed to create a platform where experts could exchange knowledge, deliberate on challenging clinical scenarios and discuss evolving evidence in diagnosis and treatment. Such academic initiatives are vital in enhancing physicians’ understanding of rare respiratory diseases and ultimately improving the quality of care delivered to patients.” The symposium concluded with engaging multidisciplinary panel discussions centred around challenging clinical cases, enabling participants to gain practical insights into diagnosis and therapeutic decision-making. By bringing together experts from pulmonology, rheumatology, nephrology, radiology and pathology, the programme underscored the growing importance of collaborative care in managing complex autoimmune lung diseases and reaffirmed the role of continuous medical education in advancing patient outcomes.