Vasculitis Flashcards
What is vasculitis.
Vasculitis is defined as an inflammatory disorder of blood vessel walls, causing destruction (aneurysm/rupture) or stenosis.
What does the presentation of vasculitis depend on.
The organs involved.
What organs can be affected by vasculitis.
Any organ can be affected.
What are the causes of vasculitis. (2)
Primary.
Secondary (eg SLE, RA, hepatitis B/C, HIV).
How is vasculitis classified. (3)
According to the size of the vessel damaged.
Large.
Medium.
Small.
What are some conditions that cause large vessel vasculitis. (2)
Giant cell arteritis.
Takayasu’s arteritis.
What are some conditions that cause medium vessel vasculitis. (2)
Polyarteritis nodosa.
Kawasaki disease.
What are the subsets of small vessel vasculitis. (2)
ANCA positive.
ANCA negative.
What are the features of small vessel ANCA positive vasculitis.
It has a predilection for respiratory tract and kidneys.
What are some conditions that are small vessel ANCA positive vasculitis. (3)
Glomerulonephritis.
Churg-Strauss syndrome.
Wegener’s granulomatosis.
What are some conditions that are small vessel ANCA negative vasculitis. (3)
Henoch-Schonlein purpura.
Goodpasture’s syndrome.
Cryoglobulinaemia.
What are the symptoms vasculitis. (2)
Different vasculitides affect different organs, causing different patterns of symptoms.
Overwhelming fatigue.
Raised ESP/CRP.
Is a severe vasculitis flare an emergency.
Yes.
When should you consider vasculitis.
In any unidentified multisystem disorder.
What is often seen on the blood results of a patient with vasculitis. (3)
Raised ESR/CRP.
ANCA may be positive.
Raised creatinine if renal failure.
What is seen on a urine test of a patient with vasculitis. (3)
Proteinuria.
Haematuria.
Casts on microscopy.
What are the systemic features of vasculitis. (5)
Fever. Malaise. Weight loss. Arthraligia. Myalgia.
What are the skin features of vasculitis. (5)
Purpura. Ulcers. Livedo reticularis. Nailbed infarcts. Digital gangrene.
What are the eye features of vasculitis. (3)
Episcleritis.
Scleritis.
Visual loss.
What are the ENT features of vasculitis. (4)
Episataxis.
Nasal crusting.
Stridor.
Deafness.
What are the pulmonary features of vasculitis. (2)
Haemoptysis and dyspnoea (due to pulmonary haemorrhage).
What are the cardiac features of vasculitis. (3)
Angina or MI (due to coronary arteritis).
Heart failure.
Pericarditis.
What are the GI features of vasculitis. (2)
Pain or perforation (infarcted viscus).
Malabsorpton (chronic ischaemia).
What are the renal features of vasculitis. (5)
Hypertension. haematuria. Proteinuria. Casts. Renal failure.
What are the neurological features of vasculitis. (7)
Stroke. Fits. Chorea. Psychosis. Confusion. Impaired cognition. Altered mood.
What are the GU features of vasculitis.
Orchitis - testicular pain or tenderness.
