What is vasculitis?

What is vasculitis?

What is vasculitis? Vasculitis is the inflammation of the body’s blood vessels. Vasculitis can affect very small blood vessels (capillaries), medium-size blood vessels, or large blood vessels such as the aorta (the main blood vessel that leaves the heart).

What is the difference between vasculitis and aortitis?

Aortitis is a form of vasculitis—a family of rare disorders characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow and damage vital organs and tissues. Aortitis refers to inflammation of the aorta, which carries oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

What is the best treatment for vasculitis?

Treatment. In some cases of vasculitis, a procedure called plasma exchange may be recommended. With plasma exchange, blood is taken out of the patient, the liquid portion of the blood (called plasma) is removed and the blood cells along with plasma from a blood donor are then transfused back into the person.

How is vasculitis diagnosed?

The definite diagnosis of vasculitis is established after a biopsy of involved organ or tissue, such as skin, sinuses, lung, nerve, brain and kidney. The biopsy elucidates the pattern of blood vessel inflammation. An alternative to biopsy can be an angiogram ( x-ray test of the blood vessels).

What are the complications of vasculitis?

Complications of vasculitis include: Organ damage. Some types of vasculitis can be severe, causing damage to major organs. Blood clots and aneurysms. A blood clot may form in a blood vessel, obstructing blood flow. Rarely, vasculitis will cause a blood vessel to weaken and bulge, forming an aneurysm (AN-yoo-riz-um).

What research is being done on vasculitis?

Other NIH institutes that support research on vasculitis include the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ( NHLBI) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases ( NIAMS ). Several NINDS-funded investigators are studying blood vessel damage and cerebral blood flow as it relates to stroke.

Can vasculitis be short term or long term?

Vasculitis might affect just one organ, or several. The condition can be short term (acute) or long lasting (chronic). Vasculitis can affect anyone, though some types are more common among certain groups. Depending on the type you have, you may improve without treatment.

What is the difference between vasculitis and Kawasaki disease?

IgA vasculitis is much more common in children than in adults. Kawasaki disease only affects children under five. When any part of your body is inflamed, it swells and is uncomfortable or painful. With many types of vasculitis the swelling is inside the body and you can’t see any of the symptoms on the outside.

Can vasculitis have any complications?

Occasionally other blood vessels are involved, and rarely more serious complications can occur, sometimes affecting the bowels or causing seizures. The treatments used for vasculitis will depend upon which blood vessels and organs are affected, as well as how much body tissue is affected.

What is cryoglobulin-associated vasculitis?

In cryoglobulin-associated vasculitis, small-vessel vasculitis is associated with cryoglobulins – these are proteins in the blood that stick together in the cold. Having cryoglobulins can reduce the flow of blood or even block the blood vessels, causing damage to organs or body tissues.