Vasculitis
(Arteritis, Angiitis)
Medical Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
What is vasculitis?
Vasculitis is a general term for a group of uncommon diseases that
feature inflammation of the
blood vessels. The blood vessels of the
body are referred to as the vascular system. The
blood vessels are comprised of arteries that pass oxygen-rich blood to the
tissues of the body and veins that return oxygen-depleted blood from the
tissues to the lungs for oxygen. Vasculitis is characterized by
inflammation in and damage to the walls of various blood vessels.
Each of the vasculitis diseases is defined by certain patterns of distribution of
blood vessel involvement, particular organ involvement, and laboratory test abnormalities.
As a group, these diseases are referred to as vasculitides.
The word vasculitis is derived from the Latin
"vasculum", vessel + "- itis", inflammation. Another term for vasculitis is
angiitis. When arteries are the inflamed blood vessels, the condition is also referred to as arteritis. When the veins are inflamed, it is referred to as venulitis.
What causes vasculitis and what are examples of diseases with vasculitis?
The actual cause of these vasculitis diseases is usually not known.
However, immune system abnormality and inflammation of blood vessels are common features. Each form of vasculitis has its own characteristic pattern of symptoms,
much of which depends on what particular organs are affected.
Examples of
vasculitis include Kawasaki disease,
Behcet's disease,
polyarteritis
nodosa, Wegener's granulomatosis,
cryoglobulinemia,
Takayasu's arteritis,
Churg-Strauss syndrome,
giant cell arteritis
(temporal arteritis), and Henoch-Schönlein purpura.
Vasculitis can also accompany infections (such as hepatitis B),
exposure to chemicals (such as amphetamines and cocaine), medications, cancers
(such as lymphomas and multiple myeloma), and rheumatic diseases
(such as rheumatoid arthritis
and systemic lupus erythematosus).
Next: How is vasculitis diagnosed? »
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Last Editorial Review: 5/12/2008
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