Vasculitis

Diagnosed with Vasculitis? Orange County Trusts Hoag For Cutting-Edge Vascular Care.

Hoag’s Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart & Vascular Institute is committed to staying in the vanguard of modern medicine, utilizing the latest techniques and tools, developed through cutting-edge research and clinical trials. If your vascular health has been impacted by an autoimmune disorder like vasculitis, our subspecialized Vascular Program is led by world-class physicians with the experience you need. Contact Hoag today through our online form or by calling 949-764-5871.

Have you been diagnosed with vasculitis, or do you have symptoms that have you worried? Read on for what you need to know about this complex condition, including causes, complications and risk factors.

What is Vasculitis?

Vasculitis is a group of autoimmune diseases that cause damaging inflammation of the blood vessels. Vasculitis affects blood vessels of all sizes, including large arteries, veins and tiny capillaries. Inflammation in the affected blood vessels can lead to thickened vessel walls, potentially obstructing blood flow.

This obstruction can cause a range of health issues, impacting the function and health of various internal organs throughout the body. In rare cases, vasculitis can weaken the walls of blood vessels to the point they begin to stretch, forming a bulge called an aneurysm. Visit these following links from Hoag to learn more about thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).

What is an ‘Autoimmune Disease’?

The immune system is the umbrella term for the defensive mechanisms the body uses to fight off infections. An autoimmune disease occurs when a malfunctioning immune system begins to perceive healthy, normal cells as dangerous infective agents and begins to attack these cells. In the case of vasculitis, the immune system mistakenly targets and attacks the body’s own blood vessels, causing damaging inflammation.

What Are the Different Types of Vasculitis?

There are many different types of vasculitis, with each type categorized by the part of the body it affects and the symptoms it produces. While not an exhaustive list, different types of vasculitis include:

• Kawasaki disease: usually diagnosed in childhood, Kawasaki disease can impact blood vessels all over the body, though it most commonly damages the coronary arteries
• Giant cell arteritis: usually damages the aorta and major vessels that branch away from it. This condition can also damage the temporal artery, resulting in reduced blood flow to the optic nerve, which can result in temporary or permanent blindness
• Microscopic polyangiitis: damages small to medium-sized blood vessels that serve the lungs and kidneys
• Central nervous system vasculitis: occurs when there is inflammation of the blood vessel walls in the brain and spine. There are two subtypes of this condition, including primary central nervous system vasculitis, which impacts only the central nervous system, and secondary central nervous system vasculitis, which is associated with certain autoimmune diseases
• Cutaneous small-vessel vasculitis (CSVV): a type of vasculitis that can often damage blood vessels that serve the skin
• Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis: usually occurring in those with hepatitis C, this potentially painful condition impacts small blood vessels and damages vessels serving the liver, skin, kidneys, joints and peripheral nerves
• Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis: a type of small vessel vasculitis, that can damage blood vessels throughout the body, particularly those in the kidneys and lungs
• Systemic lupus erythematosus: the most common type of lupus, potentially damaging blood vessels serving the kidneys, joints, lungs, skin and brain
• Takayasu’s arteritis (TAK): Occurring mostly in young women, the condition can affect medium-sized arteries, causing organ damage and reduced blood flow to the arms, legs and major organs.
• Immunoglobulin A (IgA) vasculitis: also called Henoch-Schönlein purpura, this condition involves the buildup of defensive antibodies in blood vessels serving the kidneys, joints, intestines and skin. IgA vasculitis primarily occurs in children aged 3 to 10 years
• Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a rare, congenital form of vasculitis that damages the blood vessels that serve the nervous system, respiratory tract, heart, gastrointestinal tract and skin

What Causes Vasculitis?

The development of vasculitis isn’t well understood. Factors that can cause vasculitis or are associated with a higher risk of developing certain types of vasculitis may include:

Genetic Factors

Some types of vasculitis are passed down genetically. Types of genetically inherited vasculitis include:

• Kawasaki disease
• Behçet’s disease
• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Do you have a medical condition that runs in your family? Explore Hoag’s unique range of Genetic Counseling services.

Certain Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions are associated with an increased risk of developing vasculitis or cause people with a history of the condition to experience new or worsened vasculitis symptoms. These conditions include:

• Infection with Hepatitis B or C
• Certain blood cancers, including lymphoma, can sometimes trigger vasculitis symptoms.
• Certain immune disorders, including scleroderma, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
• COVID-19: While research is ongoing, COVID-19 is believed to increase a person’s risk of developing vasculitis and may cause vasculitis flare-ups in those who have a history of the condition. In children, COVID-19 can trigger multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), which can result in vasculitis.

Exposure to Certain Chemicals, Pollutants and Substances

Exposure to certain types of toxins, chemicals and substances is thought to be linked to the diagnosis of some types of vasculitis. These may include:

• Certain drugs, including long-term use of cocaine
• Microbial infections
• Smoking tobacco
• Inhaling silica
• Exposure to some types of pesticides
• Exposure to some industrial solvents, including certain alcohols and glues

What are the Symptoms of Vasculitis?

Vasculitis symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, potentially depending on other conditions, which type of vasculitis they have, which part of the body was affected, and other factors. Common symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Rashes, open sores and other skin conditions
• Blurred vision
• Headache
• Body aches
• Joint pain
• Loss of appetite
• Low or high blood pressure
• Lung inflammation and shortness of breath
• Ear and nose problems, including sinus infections, ear infections and hearing loss
• Kidney problems, including kidney inflammation
• Heart palpitations
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities
• Blood clots and stroke
• Discolored feet or hands

Are There Any Potential Complications of Vasculitis?

Depending on which type of vasculitis you have, the blood vessels involved and other factors, the artery narrowing and reduced blood circulation that are characteristic of vasculitis can cause serious complications that can become life-threatening.

While not a complete list, complications of certain types of vasculitis may include:

• Blood clots
• Heart attack
• Aneurysm, which is an abnormal bulge in a blood vessel that can suddenly rupture, causing life-threatening bleeding
• Aortic dissection, which is a potentially life-threatening tear that can develop in the lining of the aorta, the body’s main blood vessel
• Arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat
• Organ damage, including damage to the kidneys, lungs, heart and other major arteries
• Coronary heart disease
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Myocarditis, a type of heart inflammation
• Stroke
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is momentarily blocked
• Kidney failure
• Immune system dysfunction, including having a reduced white blood cell count. That can leave you more at risk for infections because white blood cells are the body’s front-line defense against bacteria and viruses

Who is Most at Risk to Develop Vasculitis?

Certain conditions, genetic factors and exposures can potentially increase a person’s risk factors for vasculitis. Issues that are believed to increase a person’s risk of developing vasculitis may include:

• Having certain types of autoimmune disease, including rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma and lupus
• Having a family history of vasculitis
• Smoking tobacco
• Those who take certain types of medicine, including Allopurinol, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, Propylthiouracil, Hydralazine and Levamisole.
• People who abuse certain illegal drugs, including cocaine
• People who are infected with Hepatitis C or B
• Those with certain cancers of the blood, including lymphoma

Are There Any Ways to Reduce My Risk of Developing Vasculitis?

• Don’t smoke tobacco
• Avoid abusing illegal drugs like cocaine
• Get vaccinated for Hepatitis B, and take steps to avoid contracting Hepatitis C. Consult your doctor for the best advice.
• If you have inflammatory diseases, seek the help of a rheumatologist, which is a specialist who can help you manage symptoms and prevent blood vessel damage.

Visit our vascular disease treatment page or vascular disease diagnosis and testing page to learn more.

From Yorba Linda to Laguna Beach, Orange County Trusts Hoag for Vasculitis Treatment and Care

The Vascular Program at Hoag’s Jeffrey M. Carlton Heart and Vascular Institute stands as a beacon of compassion, innovation and excellence in vascular health, providing next-generation treatment options for communities across Orange County, including Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Lake Forest, Fullerton and Irvine.

Every day, our world-class team of doctors are unified in one mission: to treat our patients with the latest advancements in medicine, from the most modern diagnostic imaging to the latest and most effective treatment options.

Do you need vasculitis treatment in Orange County? Then you owe it to yourself to seek out the team with the tools, techniques and patient-first philosophy you need. You’ll find it all at Hoag. Connect with our subspecialized team today through our online form or by calling 949-764-5871.