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Summary
Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels. It happens when the body's immune system attacks the blood vessel by mistake. It can happen because of an infection, a medicine, or another disease. The cause is often unknown.
Vasculitis can affect arteries, veins and capillaries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the heart to the body's organs. Veins are the vessels that carry blood back to the heart. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that connect the small arteries and veins.
When a blood vessel becomes inflamed, it can
- Narrow, making it more difficult for blood to get through
- Close off completely so that blood can't get through
- Stretch and weaken so much that it bulges. The bulge is called an aneurysm. If it bursts, it can cause dangerous bleeding inside the body.
Symptoms of vasculitis can vary, but usually include fever, swelling and a general sense of feeling ill. The main goal of treatment is to stop the inflammation. Steroids and other medicines to stop inflammation are often helpful.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- Vasculitis (American College of Rheumatology)
- Vasculitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Vasculitis Syndromes of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
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What is Vasculitis? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Symptoms
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What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Vasculitis? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Diagnosis and Tests
- ANCA / MPO / PR3 Antibodies Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Complement Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- CT Angiography (CTA) (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
- ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate) Test (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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How Is Vasculitis Diagnosed? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- MR Angiography (MRA) (Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology) Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
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How Is Vasculitis Treated? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Methotrexate (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
- Prednisone (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
Living With
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Living with Vasculitis (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
Related Issues
- Immune System and Its Link to Rheumatic Diseases (American College of Rheumatology)
Specifics
- Buerger's Disease (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
- Central Nervous System Vasculitis (Vasculitis Foundation)
- Cryoglobulinemia (Vasculitis Foundation)
- Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis, formerly Churg-Strauss Syndrome (EGPA) (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
- Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
- Hypersensitivity Vasculitis (Vasculitis Foundation)
- Isolated Aortitis (Vasculitis Foundation)
- Microscopic Polyangiitis (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
- Polyarteritis Nodosa (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
- Rheumatoid Vasculitis (Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center)
- Takayasu's Arteritis (Johns Hopkins University)
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Types of Vasculitis (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Urticarial Vasculitis (Vasculitis Foundation)
Genetics
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Genetics Home Reference: adenosine deaminase 2 deficiency (National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: Behçet disease (National Library of Medicine)
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Genetics Home Reference: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (National Library of Medicine)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Vasculitis (National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association
- Find a Physician from the Society for Vascular Medicine (Society for Vascular Medicine)
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Also in Spanish
Children
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Henoch-Schönlein Purpura (National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse)
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MedlinePlus: Kawasaki Disease (National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
Patient Handouts
- Allergic vasculitis Also in Spanish
- Aortic angiography Also in Spanish
- Cerebral angiography Also in Spanish
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura Also in Spanish
- Necrotizing vasculitis Also in Spanish
- Polyarteritis nodosa Also in Spanish
- Takayasu arteritis Also in Spanish
