- Small vessel – usually involves the skin such as Henoch-Schönlein Purpura
- Small artery – includes Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), Churg-Strauss syndrome
- Medium artery – includes Polyarteritis Nodosa, Kawasaki disease
- Large artery – includes Takayasu’s arteritis
What are the symptoms of vasculitis?
Skin (most common symptom)
Kidneys
Eyes
Major organs of the body
How is vasculitis diagnosed?
- Blood tests to show if the blood vessels are inflamed. They can be an indicator of inflammation in the body and to help monitor other organ function/damage
- Urine tests to look for any kidney disease
- X-rays and scans to confirm any organ or bone problems
- Biopsies (small samples of tissue) from the skin/muscle or kidneys to confirm their involvement
- Angiogram to show the arteries up around major organs, such as the heart and look for changes, by injecting a dye into them
What causes vasculitis?
How is vasculitis treated?
Medication | How is it given | Side effects |
---|---|---|
Corticosteroids reduce inflammation and dampens down the immune system | High doses of methylprednisolone given via a drip in ‘pulses’ or blocks of treatment and/or as prednisolone tablets given daily |
|
Methotrexate is a disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug that reduces symptoms and inflammation | Orally by tablet/syrup or by subcutaneous injection given weekly |
|
Cyclophosphamide dampens down the immune system | By drip in hospital from fortnightly to three-monthly |
|
Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) dampens down the immune system | Orally twice a day on an empty stomach Doses will be increased slowly |
|
Azathioprine is used to maintain improvement | Orally once daily |
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There are newer, even more powerful medicines under trial, which, if needed, will be fully explained to you.