Vascular Pathology Flashcards
What is vasculitis?
Inflammation of the blood vessel wall.
What are the layers of the arterial wall?
Endothelial intima smooth muscle media
What are common clinical features of vasculitis?
Nonspecific inflammatory symptoms (fever fatigue
How is vasculitis classified by vessel size?
Large-vessel (aorta and major branches) medium-vessel (muscular arteries to organs)
What is temporal (giant cell) arteritis?
Granulomatous vasculitis involving branches of the carotid artery common in older adults
What are key symptoms of temporal arteritis?
Headache (temporal artery) visual disturbances (ophthalmic artery)
How is temporal arteritis diagnosed and treated?
Diagnosis requires a biopsy with giant cells and intimal fibrosis; treatment is corticosteroids to prevent blindness.
What is Takayasu arteritis?
Granulomatous vasculitis involving the aortic arch at branch points often in young Asian females.
What are the main clinical features of Takayasu arteritis?
Visual and neurologic symptoms weak or absent pulse in the upper extremity (“pulseless disease”)
How is Takayasu arteritis treated? .
Corticosteroids
What is polyarteritis nodosa?
Necrotizing vasculitis involving multiple organs except the lungs common in young adults.
What are key symptoms of polyarteritis nodosa?
Hypertension (renal artery) abdominal pain with melena (mesenteric artery)
What does polyarteritis nodosa look like on imaging?
“String-of-pearls” appearance due to varying stages of lesions with transmural inflammation and fibrinoid necrosis.
How is polyarteritis nodosa treated?
Corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide; fatal if untreated.
What is Kawasaki disease?
An acute vasculitis affecting children especially Asian children under 4 years old.
What are clinical features of Kawasaki disease?
conjunctivitis Fever
What are the main complications of Kawasaki disease?
Coronary artery thrombosis (risk of MI) and aneurysm with rupture.
How is Kawasaki disease treated?
Aspirin and IVIG; it is self-limited.
What is Buerger disease?
A necrotizing vasculitis affecting the digits often associated with smoking.
What are symptoms of Buerger disease?
Ulceration gangrene
How is Buerger disease treated?
Smoking cessation.
What is Wegener granulomatosis?
Necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis affecting the nasopharynx lungs
What are symptoms of Wegener granulomatosis?
Sinusitis or nasopharyngeal ulcers hemoptysis with lung nodules
What lab marker is associated with Wegener granulomatosis?
Serum c-ANCA which correlates with disease activity.
How is Wegener granulomatosis diagnosed and treated?
Biopsy shows necrotizing granulomas; treatment is cyclophosphamide and steroids though relapses are common.
What is microscopic polyangiitis?
Necrotizing vasculitis similar to Wegener’s but without nasopharyngeal involvement or granulomas.
What lab marker is associated with microscopic polyangiitis?
Serum p-ANCA which correlates with disease activity.
How is microscopic polyangiitis treated?
Corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide; relapses are common.
What is Churg-Strauss syndrome?
Necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis with eosinophils affecting multiple organs