Vasculitis Flashcards
What is the pathogenesis of vasculitis?
Deposition of circulating immune complexes.
Activation of complement.
Damage to vessel walls.
Leukocytoclastic changes.
Necrosis & thrombosis.
Distribution & clinical symptoms determined by vessel size.
What are typical clinical manifestations of vasculitis in large vessels?
limb claudication
asymmetric BP
absence of pulses
bruits
aortic dilation
What are the typical clinical manifestations of vasculitis in medium sized vessels?
cutaneous nodules
ulcers
arthritis
livedo reticularis
digital gangrene
mononeuritis multiplex
microaneurysms
What are the typical manifestations of vasculitis in small vessels?
purpura
vesiculobullous lesions
urticaria
glomerulonephritis
alveolar hemorrhage
arhtritis
cutaneous extra-vascular necrotizing granulomas
splinter hemorrhages
uveitis
episcleritis
scleritis
What are the constitutional symptoms of vasculitis?
fever, weight loss, malaise
What are the diseases that cause large vessel vasculitis?
Large Vessel Vasculitis (LVV)
Takayasu Arteritis (TAK)
Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
What are the diseases that cause medium vessel vasculitis?
Medium Vessel Vasculitis (MVV)
Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN)
Kawasaki Disease (KD)
What are the diseases that cause small vessel vasculitis?
Small Vessel Vasculitis (SVV)
ANCA-Associated Vasculitis (AAV):
Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA)
Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener’s) (GPA)
Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Churg Strauss) (EGPA)
Immune Complex SVV:
Anti-GBM Disease
Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis (CV)
IgA Vasculitis (Henoch-Schönlein)(IgAV)
Hypocomplementemic Urticarial Vasculitis (Anti-C1q Vasculitis)
What are the diseases that cause variable vessel vasculitis?
Variable Vessel Vasculitis (VVV)
Behçet’s Disease (BD)
Cogan’s Syndrome (CS)- (IgG4-RD?)
What are the diseases that cause single organ vasculitis?
Single Organ Vasculitis (SOV)
Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Angiitis
Primary CNS Vasculitis (“string of beads”)
What are the vasculidities that are associated with systemic disease?
Vasculitis Associated with Systemic Disease:
Lupus Vasculitis
Rheumatoid Vasculitis
Sarcoid Vasculitis
What are the vasculidities that are associated with probable etiology?
Hepatitis C Virus-Associated Cryoglobulinemic Vasculitis
Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Vasculitis
Syphilis-Associated Aortitis
Drug-Associated Immune Complex Vasculitis
Drug-Associated ANCA-Associated Vasculitis
Cancer-Associated Vasculitis
What happens to blood flow when vasculitis happens?
reduced blood flow d/t:
inflamed and thickened artery wall and narrowing of the lumen
What are the common constitutional symptoms of vasculitis?
fever, wt loss, fatigue, weak
What are the common musculoskeletal symptoms of vasculitis?
arthralgia/itis, myalgia.
What are the common cutaneous symptoms of vasculitis?
palpable purpura, nodules, urticaria, livedo reticularis, phlebitis, ischemia
What are the common pulmonary symptoms of vasculitis?
hemorrhage, nodules, infiltration, cavities
What are the common renal symptoms of vasculitis?
nephritis, infarction, hypertension
What are the common neurological symptoms of vasculitis?
cephalgia, mononeuritis multiplex, stroke
What are some common lab findings in vasculitis?
anemia, increased ESR, abnormal LFT, hematuria.
What are the causes of palpable purpura?
Idiopathic 50%
Infection 20% (necrotizing vasculitis)
Inflammatory 20% (leukocytoclastic vasculitis)
Medications 5%
Malignancy 5%
How is vasculitis treated? What is the strategy behind each drug?
Induce remission: Glucocorticoids – use prophylaxis for osteoporosis
Cyclophosphamide – whenever used should also use prophylaxis for Pneumocystis jiroveci.
Maintenance: AZA or MTX or mycophenolate mofetil.
Rituximab seems to be as effective as cyclophosphamide and superior to azathioprine in maintaining remission.
What is another name for large vessel vasculitis?
Large Vessel Vasculitis (Granulomatous or Giant Cell Arteritis)
Case 1. A 20 y/o female presents with fever, malaise, weight loss and easy fatigability of the left upper arm. She had had a left sided attack of amaurosis 2 months ago, and an exertional right calf cramping one month ago, that had been relieved by resting. On PE, vitals were normal except for BP of 160/90 in the right arm and 90/50 in the left. There was pallor of the left hand. Left carotid pulse seemed decreased with an audible bruit. There was a right femoral bruit. A 3/6 aortic diastolic murmur was present*. Sed rate was 25 mm/hr with C-RP of 30 mg/L. Right brachial index was 0.4. A carotid doppler showed extensive wall edema with marked distal stenosis in the left carotid. MRA showed carotid and axillary occlusion. Hb was 10.3 gm with SR of 20 mm/hr. This woman is most likely from:
A.Russia
B.Korea
C.Armenia
D. Israel
E.Bangladesh
*AR from aortic dilation since this hits the elastic arteries. Have increased BP from RAS or coarctation.
Disease is Takayasu’s arteritis
What is the classification criteria for Takayasu’s arteritis?
Age < 40 at disease onset.
Two phases – early inflammatory – late occlusive.
Decreased brachial artery pulse.
BP difference >10 between arms.
Bruits over subclavian or aorta.
Arteriogram- dilation, aneurysma or narrowing in aorta or main branches, including celiac and mesentaries.
Claudication of extremities.
What is another name for Takayasu’s arteritis? What is it treated with?
“Pulseless Disease”
Treatment: steroids
A 79 y/o male presents with an FUO. He has noticed pain and stiffness in the shoulders and hips for the past 12 weeks. He recalls episodes of left throat pain with chewing in the recent past. SR is 80 and WBC is normal. If the diagnosis is confirmed in this patient, it would not be surprising to find the presence of (a), (an):
A.tonsilar abscess
B.subclavian stenosis
C.aortic stenosis
D.polycythemia
E.multiple myeloma
subclavian stenosis
Which arteries are commonly affected by temporal arteritis?
Temporal artery
Ophthalmic artery
Facial artery
Carotid artery
What aortic problems are associated with temporal arteritis?
May have aortic aneurysms or stenosis of arch vessels,
ie aortic insufficiency murmur or bruits
What other condition needs to be considered with temporal arteritis? What are the SSXs?
Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
- aches or pain in your shoulders
- aches or pain in your neck, lower back, butt, hips or thighs
- stiffness, esp in the morning
- limited ROM in affected joints
- less commonly, pain or stiffness in wrists or knees
- possible low-grade fever early on, as well as faitgue, appetite loss, weight loss, depression
What are the SSXs of Giant Cell/Temporal arteritis? What will it show in labs and imaging?
- Age > 50 at disease onset, FUO, paraneoplastic.
- New cephalgia, jaw claudication, arm claudication, visual abnormality, neck pain, abdominal pain.
- PMR – proximal pain and stiffness, no weakness!
- Temporal artery abnormality (tender or decreased pulse).
- Elevated ESR (>50mm/hr), anemia, low albumin, increased alkaline phosphatase*, thrombocytosis.
- Abnormal artery biopsy (multinucleated giant cells).
- CT, MRI, PET scan look for vascular edema and intimal thickening.
- GCA related stroke usually affects the vertebral basilar territory in the extracranial location**.
*hepatic artery vasculitis or granulomatous hepatitis. The intracranial vessels have almost
How do you Dx suspected temporal arteritis if biopsy is normal?
If temporal biopsy is normal – must do MRI, 18F-FDG PET/CT, or CT angiogram for subclavian or axillary vessel narrowing.
Some have varicella-zoster vasculopathy!
Treatment - Prednisone
What are some essentials of Dx for temporal arteritis?
Granulomatous thickening of the inner portions of the branches of the external carotids
Tender temporal arteries
Jaw gets tired chewing
PE and labs are unrevealing, often have high sed rates
Easily mistaken for tension HA, patients then go blind suddenly
Most patients also have polymyalgia rheumatica, mm aches easily mistaken for rheumatism
What are the medium vessel vasculitidies?
Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN)
Kawasaki Disease
Buergers Disease
This patient presents with fever, arthralgias, abdominal pain, melena, and findings as shown. He is hypertensive and has a left wrist drop and right foot drop. There is hematuria, but no hemoptysis. He has testicular tenderness. Hb is 9 gm and C-RP is moderately elevated. BUN and creatinine are mildly elevated. He is hepatitis B positive. He is ANCA negative. Angiography is positive for medium sized vessel aneurysms. He has:
A.leukocytoclastic vasculitis.
B.amyloidosis.
C.SLE.
D.WG.
E.PAN.
PAN
What are the SSXs of polyarteritis nodosa?
Polyarteritis Nodosa
Fever and wt. loss
Hypertension (diastolic BP > 90) – renal (renin) – unusual with small vessel vasculitis.
Livedo reticularis, skin ulcers, nodules, digital gangrene.
Can involve heart (MI or myocarditis) and brain.
Lungs spared.
Abdominal pain - periumbilical postprandial - mesenteric vessels occlusion, appendicitis, acalulous cholecystitis, etc.
Testicular pain or tenderness.
Myalgias (esp. calves), weakness or leg tenderness.
Mono (ie. foot drop) or polyneuropathy
What labs should be ordered for polyarteritis nodosa?
Azotemia, Anemia.
Hepatitis B virus.
Biopsy of skin, nerve, muscle, or testicles.
Angiogram of renal, mesenteric or hepatic artery. (microaneurysms and/or panarteritis/vasculitis)
What is the Tx for polyarteritis nodosa?
Treatment:
Induce remission:
pulse cyclophosphamide and steroids (The combination is not to be used in Hepatitis B type.)
Maintenance: azathioprine, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil
This patient has had a fever for 5 days with erythema and edema of the palms and soles, cervical adenopathy, and findings as shown. This patient has:
A. Herpes.
B. Kawasaki’s syndrome.
C. syphilis.
D. lichen planus.
E. mononucleosis.
Kawasaki’s Syndrome
What is the physician concerned about with Kawasaki’s Syndrome?
Development of coronary artery aneurysms
What is the Dx criteria for Kawasaki’s?
Needs: Warm (fever >5 days)
Plus, 4 of 5:
- Conjunctivitis - b/l and non-purulent
- Rash - erythematous, maculopapular, or morbilliform
- Erythema palsm and soles - with swelling
- Adenopathy, cervical - 1 unilateral node
- Mucous Membrane - dry, red, strawberry tongue
What is the treatment for Kawasaki’s Syndrome?
- High dose ASA
- IVIG