Information on the topic of vasculitis
Vasculitis definition
Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels that is triggered by immune reactions. This means that the body's own immune system attacks the blood vessels.
Circulatory disorders can occur, resulting in organ damage or failure. Vasculitis is a very rare disease, the different forms of which can occur at any age.
Vasculitis cause
My classifies vasculitis into primary and secondary depending on how it occurs.
Primary means that the disease has its origin in the vessel. In the case of vasculitis, this is caused by the immune system. As with most autoimmune diseases, the exact cause is not known; in technical jargon, this seemingly causeless occurrence is referred to as "idiopathic". However, there are some triggers that are associated with vasculitis, such as nicotine consumption.
Secondary vasculitis is caused by another disease (hepatitis B, C, tumors) or it occurs as a side effect of medication, poisons and drugs.
Vasculitis is also classified according to the size (large, medium, small) and type (arteries, veins, capillaries) of the affected vessels, as well as the presence of ANCA antibodies.
ANCA antibodies are antibodies produced by the body against the body's own leukocytes. Their occurrence is related to many forms of vasculitis and other autoimmune diseases. How the antibodies are formed is not known. Environmental and genetic factors are suspected to be factors that could promote their development.
Vasculitis symptoms
As vasculitis can take on a variety of forms and occur in different regions, its symptoms vary greatly. Vasculitis is a very rare disease and therefore symptoms are often wrongly attributed to other diseases.
One symptom that is easily recognizable from the outside is vasculitis of the skin, which manifests itself in pinpoint redness that can merge into one another.
Symptoms such as coughing up blood, narrowing of the trachea, long-term ear and sinus infections, nerve diseases, and chronic kidney diseases are difficult to assign. With these symptoms, more common causes are more likely to be considered, but vasculitis must also be considered. Testing for antibodies can provide information.
Vasculitis therapy
Autoimmune diseases are treated with immunosuppression (suppression of the immune system) in order to stop or delay the further progression. Corticosteroids are used here, which are very effective at combating the signs of inflammation, but have significant side effects.
The corticosteroid dose can be reduced by combining it with methotrexate. Methotrexate inhibits the immune system by damaging cells (cytotoxic). Under certain circumstances, narrowing of blood vessels can also be removed surgically, e.g. using a stent.
Vasculitis risks
In the case of vasculitis of the arteries (arteritis), the inflammation can weaken the vessel wall and promote an aneurysm (bulging of the vessel wall). There is an increased risk of bleeding at this point.
The swelling caused by the inflammation can restrict blood flow. Depending on the extent of the restriction, this can lead to a reduced supply (ischemia) to the affected organ and, if the vessel is blocked, ultimately to a heart attack, in which the affected tissue dies due to a lack of oxygen.
