Vasculitis

Vasculitis causes inflammation in your blood vessels that restricts blood flow, requiring specialized treatment to prevent dangerous complications. At the Rheumatic Disease Center’s offices in Milwaukee and Glendale, Wisconsin, an experienced team of rheumatologists offers expert vasculitis diagnosis and treatment. Call your nearest Rheumatic Disease Center office today or book an appointment online to receive superior vasculitis care.

What is vasculitis?

Vasculitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the blood vessels. The inflamed blood vessel walls thicken, restricting blood flow and leading to organ damage. Types of vasculitis include:

Temporal arteritis

The most common vasculitis is temporal arteritis, also called giant cell arteritis or Horton’s arteritis. It affects the head arteries, primarily the temporal artery that passes through your temples into your forehead. Temporal arteritis tends to affect people over 50 and often occurs alongside another rheumatic condition, polymyalgia rheumatica.

Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA)

MPA is a rare vasculitis that causes inflammation in the small blood vessels around your body. MPA can happen at any age but usually affects people in their 50s and 60s.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA)

GPA, formerly Wegener’s granulomatosis, is an uncommon vasculitis that causes blood vessel inflammation in your nose, throat, sinuses, lungs, and kidneys.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA)

EGPA, or Churg-Strauss syndrome, is an extremely rare vasculitis affecting small blood vessels. It causes asthma and a high white blood cell count and can affect the lungs, skin, gastrointestinal tract, nervous system, and heart.

Other forms of vasculitis include:

• Kawasaki disease
• Behçet’s disease
• Buerger’s disease (thromboangiitis obliterans)
• Henoch-Schönlein purpura (IgA vasculitis)
• Takayasu’s arteritis

The Rheumatic Disease Center team specializes in treating all forms of vasculitis.

What are the symptoms of vasculitis?

General vasculitis symptoms include aches and pains, fever, headache, fatigue, and unexpected weight loss. Some symptoms affect specific body parts, depending on which form of vasculitis you have. These include:

• Dizziness
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Sudden hearing loss
• Red, itchy, or burning eyes
• Double vision (diplopia)
• Temporary or permanent sight loss
• Hand or foot numbness/weakness
• Hard, swollen palms and soles
• Pain after eating
• Stomach ulcers
• Blood in the stool
• Shortness of breath
• Coughing up blood
• Bleeding under the skin
• Lumps and open sores

Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, and systemic lupus can cause vasculitis. Other triggers include infections like hepatitis B and C, blood cancers, and adverse drug reactions. Often, the cause is unknown.

How is vasculitis treated?

The Rheumatic Disease Center uses medication to treat vasculitis, including:

• Corticosteroids
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
• Immunosuppressants
• Biologics

Vasculitis sometimes causes aneurysms, where a blood vessel wall balloons outward and fills with blood. An aneurysm can result in a life-threatening rupture and require emergency treatment.

Call the Rheumatic Disease Center today or book an appointment online for an expert diagnosis and effective vasculitis treatment.