Vasculitis Flashcards
Vasculitis
-heterogeneous group of disorders linked by the
primary finding of inflammation within blood vessel walls
-at least 20 forms of systemic vasculitis are recognized currently
How is vasculitis classified?
-1st by the size of the blood vessel involved
small (capillaries/venules), medium (muscular arteries/arterioles), large (aorta/branches)
-2nd by demographics, organ tropism, granulomatious inflamm?, immune complexes?, autoantibodies?, infections?
Epidemeology of Vasculitis?
- different forms have different profiles
- age, gender, ethnicity
Genetic association?
yes, genes and gene/environment interactions
Vasculitis mediated by immune complexes?
-heterogeneous group of disorders linked by inefficient or dysregulated clearance of immune complexes
Most common types of immune complex vasculitis?
- hypersensitivity vasculitis
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP)
- mixed cryglobulinemia
Rare froms of immune complex vasculitis?
- hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis
- erythema elevatum diutinum
Connective tissue disorders that have IC-mediated vasculitis?
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- rheumatoid arthritis
Most prominant feature of Immune Complex-Mediated vasculitis?
- cutaneous involvement of small blood vessels
- find “palpable purpura”
- also, pustules, vesicles, urticaria, small ulcerations
Immunofluorescent studies of blood vessels with IC-mediated vasculitis?
-demonstrate types and patterns of Ig and complement deposition
Causes of Hypersensitivity vasculitis?
- reaction to medication
- infection
Henoch-Schonleine purpura?
- purpura, arthritis, glomerulonephritis, colicky abdominal pain
- IgA deposition is found within blood vessel walls
Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis?
- associated with hep C infection
- immunoreactants involved include IgG and IgM
