In vasculitis, there is an inflammatory process in the blood vessel wall itself. A consequence of this is damage to surrounding tissue, including skin, nerves and other organs that receive reduced or no blood supply.
Vasculitis can be divided according to the size of the blood vessels that are attacked, the organs that are affected or the disease mechanism.
Some vasculitis diseases occur in children, but most occur only in adults.
With cutaneous vasculitis, many different skin changes of varying appearance and severity can occur. These can be localized to a limited area, or cover large parts of the skin's surface. If the vasculitis is part of a larger disease picture, there may be a feeling of fever, night sweats, weakness and joint pain. Involvement of internal organs does not necessarily cause any symptoms to begin with.
Vasculitis can be caused by autoimmune disease, infections, drugs and allergic processes. In many cases, however, no definite cause can be found (idiopathic).
Many vasculitis conditions, especially those confined to the skin, can be self-limiting and resolve on their own. If the vasculitis affects several organs, however, early diagnosis and treatment can be decisive for the prognosis.
The treatment targets the underlying cause, as well as reducing the inflammatory process in the blood vessel wall. Immunosuppressive drugs are thus central to the treatment of vasculitis, and often a combination of different types.
Our dermatologists help people of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, with everything from simple skin changes to serious conditions.
Our dermatologists help people of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, with everything from simple skin changes to serious conditions.
