Vasculitis - treatment and diagnostics

Vasculitis is a disease associated with inflammatory processes in the walls of blood vessels. This inflammation occurs for various reasons. But most often vasculitis is a consequence of the activity of viruses or bacteria that force the immune system to fight against the tissues of one's own organism, including against the tissues of the vessels. Therefore, vasculitis belongs to a group of autoimmune diseases. Its causes are not only the effects of infections. In general, often the treatment of vasculitis is complicated by the fact that not all is known about the disease, including its causes, the role of the hereditary factor, etc. There is a classification of the types of this disease that divides it into primary and secondary.

Primary vasculitis can occur due to a hereditary predisposition to it, infections, various injuries and some medications. Secondary vasculitis usually occurs due to any complications of the disease. Such ailments can be scarlet fever, malignant tumors, psoriasis and meningitis.

There are several groups of vasculitis. The first group is a disease that affects large vessels. This is a giant cell arteritis, which causes anemia, high fever, and some signs of rheumatism. Arteritis Takayasu, adversely affecting the aorta, becomes the cause of ischemia.

The second group of vasculitis affects the vessels of medium size. This group includes nodular polyarthritis - it affects the arteries of the most important organs - the heart, kidneys, lungs, liver. Vasculitis in children is often found in the form of Kasavaki syndrome, which is expressed in the defeat of the mucous tissues of the mouth - for example, the surface of the tongue begins to crack, and the eyes also turn red. On the hands and feet there are swelling, the temperature rises, and the lymph nodes increase on the neck.

The third group includes the defeat of small vessels. This can be, for example, Wegener's granulomatosis, which extends to the upper respiratory tract and manifests itself in the form of secretions from the nose-pus, partially mixed with blood.

Usually more attention is paid to those vasculitides, which are represented by inflammation of small vessels. This group of vasculitides is divided into allergic and non-allergic species. Allergic is usually associated with damage to the skin and tissues of internal organs. Non-allergic is mainly represented by inflammation in the patient's skin.

Vasculitis of the skin is a disease that occurs more often than systemic vasculitis. At the same time, systemic treatment is a much more difficult and long process. The reason is simple - a systemic ailment is characterized by the fact that during the course of the disease, not one but several foci take part. Systemic vasculitis gives symptoms such as small bleeding on the skin, fever and the defeat of some of the internal organs. As a kind of systemic vasculitis, hemorrhagic vasculitis is distinguished - numerous foci of skin and mucous membrane damage of the body. But he can also damage the tissues of the joints and some internal organs.

Most often, hemorrhagic vasculitis occurs in children who are not yet 14 years old. This disease is allergic-infectious. Hemorrhagic vasculitis in children is acute, affects the microcirculatory bed of the skin, kidneys, joints, gastrointestinal tract and some other organs. Symptoms: a combination of abdominal, hemorrhagic, articular, temperature increase is possible. The rash, which manifests itself in the disease, is represented by small hemorrhages symmetrically appearing on the bends of the arms and legs. After a while after their appearance, they begin to grow purple, then turn pale. Next, the color of the formations becomes brown and turns into yellow. Vasculitis in children is often manifested in combination with other diseases, including caries, chronic tonsillitis and tuberculosis infection. Infection or other cause increases the sensitivity of the body. Against the background of such sensitization, a hyperergic reaction appears. And this can lead to a change in the blood coagulation system and the mechanisms of the immune system.

When diagnosed, vasculitis treatment means staying a patient on bed rest until the rash disappears, eliminating all possible allergens from the diet, which can be contained in citrus, chocolate and cocoa, eggs, etc. In addition, antiaggregants, anticoagulants, desensitizing, hormonal And other drugs. Treatment of vasculitis in children can occur in a semi-fast mode a couple of days after the disappearance of the rash. Violations of the regime are strictly contraindicated. In case there are chronic foci of the disease, antibiotic therapy is not included in the treatment of vasculitis (since there is a risk of developing allergic reactions). If the disease is severe, it will be necessary to use immunosuppressants.

Now, unfortunately, much more often than before, there is a diagnosis of vasculitis. Treatment of it consists, first of all, in reducing the reaction of immunity, so that the symptoms cease to grow and develop. It is necessary that the actions of immunity against the tissues of organs cease. Suppressive drugs (immunosuppressants) will help to "calm" the forces of the immune system, aimed at attacking the tissues of their own organism, already at this stage, a little regresses vasculitis. His treatment in the second stage is aimed at restoring the body from the damage inflicted.

Diagnosis of vasculitis includes the analysis of urine and blood samples, examination of the vascular status, X-rays and biopsy. More than other varieties, systemic vasculitis is dangerous. The treatment is based on the introduction of immunoglobulins into the body, the use of cytotoxic drugs, the purification of blood, the intake of medications that reduce the ability of blood to coagulate.