A collagen disease in which the walls of the arteries in various parts of the body become inflamed, leading to asthma, high blood pressure and kidney failure.
A disease of unknown cause in which there is patchy inflammation of the walls of the arteries. It is one of the collagen diseases. Common manifestations are arthritis, neuritis, asthma, skin rashes, hypertension, kidney failure, and fever. The inflammation is suppressed by corticosteroid drugs (such as prednisolone).
Also known as periarteritis nodosa. A rare but potentially serious disease, probably caused by a disturbance of the immune system. Prolonged fever and obscure symptoms referable to any system of the body are associated with local areas of inflammation along the arteries, giving rise to nodules in their walls. Large doses of corticosteroids, coupled with immunosuppressant treatment, usually curtail the disorder. Recovery occurs in about 50 per cent of cases.
A form of vasculitis affecting medium and small arteries, particularly at the point of bifurcation and branching. Segmental inflammation and fibrinoid necrosis of blood vessels lead to diminished blood flow (ischemia) to the areas normally supplied by these arteries. Although signs and symptoms depend on the location of the affected vessels and organs, patients usually present with symptoms of multisystem disease, including fever, malaise, weight loss, hypertension, renal failure, myalgia, peripheral neuritis, and gastrointestinal bleeding; these may occur episodically. Unlike most types of vasculitis, polyarteritis nodosa does not affect glomerular capillaries, although other renal vessels are involved. The disease is associated with hepatitis B and C, among other illnesses.
Also known as periarteritis nodosa, this is a rare type of vasculitis, which is the inflammation of blood vessels, impacting medium-sized arteries. In this condition, segments of arterial walls become inflamed, weakened, and prone to forming aneurysms – areas that balloon out. The severity of the condition is determined by the arteries involved and the extent of their weakening.
Initial signs of polyarteritis nodosa comprise of fever, sore muscles and joints, overall discomfort, reduced appetite and weight loss, and occasionally, nerve discomfort. Additionally, there might be instances of hypertension (elevated blood pressure), skin ulcers, and localized tissue death known as gangrene. In case the coronary arteries are impacted, it could result in a heart attack, or myocardial infarction. Numerous patients experience abdominal distress, queasiness, vomiting, diarrhea, and presence of blood in the stool. In certain instances, the condition might progress to kidney failure.
The diagnosis is established through biopsy (sampling of tissue) and angiography. Administering high doses of corticosteroids, and in certain situations, immunosuppressants, could potentially extend survival to a minimum of five years. In the absence of treatment, only a small number of patients manage to live for such a duration.