Vasculitis: causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Vasculitis, also called angeitis, is inflammation of blood vessel walls that can affect only one vessel or can be severe and affect several vessels and even different organs and systems in the body. The main consequence of vasculitis is the interruption of blood flow to the affected vessel, which can result in ischemia and, therefore, should be treated as soon as possible.

Since any blood vessel in the body can be affected, vasculitis can generate very different symptoms, related to the region affected by the disease or the organ that has been compromised.

Vasculitis can also be one of the symptoms of diseases, such as erythema nodosum, schönlein-henoch purpura, Buerger's disease, periarteritis nodosa, temporal arteritis or serum disease and, in this case, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease in order to cure vasculitis is achieved.

Pictures of vasculitis

What symptoms

The classic symptoms of vasculitis are usually:

• Red spots on the skin, which is a sign of blood leakage; Tingling sensation or loss of sensation in the region affected by vasculitis; Pain in the joints close to the region affected by the disease.

Other symptoms that may also be present in vasculitis are:

• Fever; Loss of appetite; Malaise; Weight loss of 4 kg or more without apparent cause; Abdominal pain; Tiredness.

According to the location of the vasculitis, it can also generate symptoms such as:

• Nasal crusts, sinusitis, nasal pain, deafness, hoarse voice when it affects ears, eyes and throat; Cough, wheezing when breathing, bloody cough, shortness of breath, antibiotic-resistant pneumonia, when it affects the respiratory system; Pain, redness, impairment of vision, when it affects the eyes. Abdominal pain, when it affects the gastrointestinal tract; Cloudy urine, urine with blood or presence of proteins in the urine, when it affects the kidneys; Paresthesia and weakness, when it affects the nervous system; Heart disease and infarction, when it affects the heart.

Possible causes

The causes of vasculitis are not yet fully understood, but it is known that it can occur due to the use of drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamines, the presence of hepatitis B or C viruses, in individuals who have polyarthritis nodosa or parvovirus B19, as occurs in Wegener's granulomatosis, and Kawasaki's disease, hypersensitivity reaction, genetic predisposition and failure to regulate immune mechanisms that participate in the response to some allergy causes.

In addition, vasculitis can also be caused by side effects of some medication, such as Penicillamine, Propylthiouracil, Hydralazine and Minocycline or exposure to silica.

How the diagnosis is made

For the diagnosis of vasculitis, one should associate the individual's history, the symptoms presented and it is recommended that some tests be performed, such as:

• Complete blood test; Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; Coagulogram; Urea, electrolytes, creatinine and creatinine clearance; Liver function tests, such as evaluation of C-reactive protein; Protein and immunoglobulin electrophoresis; Measurement of ANCA, FAN and ENA antibodies; Rheumatoid factor; Complement C3 and C4; Anticardiolipin antibody; Cryoglobulins; Hepatitis B and C tests; Urine and urine culture; Chest radiography.

In addition to these tests, the doctor may also order other tests to assess the function of the organs affected by the disease, such as magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound or computed tomography, in addition to the evaluation of the specialist doctor. These exams are necessary to be able to be sure about vasculitis and can help with its classification, being very important for the treatment of the disease.

What types of vasculitis

The existing types of vasculitis are:

Vasculitis of small and microscopic vessels	Churg-strauss vasculitis or allergic granulomatosis; Schönlein-henoch purple; Microscopic polyangiitis: necrotizing vasculitis Mixed cryoglobulinemia; Leukocytoclastic cutaneous vasculitis isolated or secondary to connective tissue diseases; Behçet's disease; Wegener's granulomatosis.
Small and medium caliber vasculitis	Polyarteritis nodosa; Kawasaki disease; Primary vasculitis of the CNS - central nervous system; Buerger's disease or Thromboangeitis obliterans.
Large vessel vasculitis	Takayasu's arteritis; Temporal arteritis or giant cell arteritis.

How the treatment is done

The treatment of different forms of vasculitis must be performed according to the nature and severity of the clinical picture. It is important to make the diagnosis of the disease and classify it correctly so that the treatment is well targeted.

In some cases, the doctor may prescribe the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants, but in severe vasculitis that affects organs and systems, the individual must remain in the hospital to receive the appropriate treatment.

Vasculitis has a cure?

Vasculitis is not always curable, as in some cases the disease can be autoimmune and, in this case, the individual must follow the treatment proposed for life. The cure of the disease will always depend on what caused it.