Vasculitis
Vasculitis is a group of rare diseases that cause inflammation of blood vessels. There are many types of vasculitis, such as giant cell arteritis (GCA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA or Churg-Strauss), Behçet’s, as well as others. Vasculitis causes poor blood flow to organ tissues such as the lungs, kidneys, skin, eyes, or nerves.
Vasculitis can be caused by autoimmune disease, medications, cancer or viral infections like hepatitis B or C.
Symptoms of vasculitis include red spots (purpura), nodules, ulcers on the skin, headaches with vision changes, cough, shortness of breath, and numbness or weakness in the extremities. Patients may also experience joint pain, fatigue, or nose and sinus issues. Vasculitis can seriously affect the kidneys and may not show symptoms initially. It is diagnosed by a rheumatologist based on physical exam findings, lab tests for autoantibodies and organ function, tissue biopsy, and sometimes imaging to detect blood vessel abnormalities.
Your Rheumatologist will customize your treatment according to your symptoms and condition severity. Treatments include steroid medications and immunosuppressants. When dealing with aggressive vasculitis, it is necessary to use potent medications such as Rituximab and Cyclophosphamide. Some patients with severe disease may undergo plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatments.