Allergic vasculitis is a chronic inflammation of the blood vessels leading to major organs. The causes of the disorder are unclear and no cure exists. Symptoms can be controlled with medications.
What is allergic vasculitis?
Allergic vasculitis is a chronic inflammation of the blood vessels leading to major organs. Allergic vasculitis is a disorder that results in inflammation of the blood vessels. The inflammation causes bleeding in the smallest vessels (capillaries) in the skin, joints, intestines and kidneys. In addition, the inflammation obstructs blood flow to the organs, which can permanently damage them. The most common symptom of allergic vasculitis is asthma, but the disorder can lead to a variety of other problems, including hay fever, rashes, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, severe pain and numbness in the hands and feet. The large number of possible symptoms and the similarity of these symptoms to other disorders makes allergic vasculitis difficult to diagnose. There is no cure for allergic vasculitis, but a doctor can help minimize symptoms by prescribing appropriate medications.
Causes
The cause of allergic vasculitis is thought to be a combination of factors, but these factors have not yet been identified. It is known that people with allergic vasculitis have hyperactive immune systems. Instead of protecting only against invading organisms such as bacteria and viruses, the immune system also attacks its own healthy tissue, leading to inflammation. Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly what causes this reaction. Some people develop allergic vasculitis after taking certain medications, such as asthma inhalers and allergy medications. Experts have not yet been able to determine the link between medications and the onset of the disease. It is possible that the medications merely exacerbate the symptoms of a pre-existing condition.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
Allergic vasculitis is initially manifested by general symptoms that also occur in various other diseases. For example, many patients suffer from fever, chills, and night sweats or lose weight. A strong feeling of illness is also typical, which is accompanied by a physical and mental performance slump. One of the first symptoms is joint pain as a result of the inflammation. In the further course, depending on the severity and localization of the allergic vasculitis, further complaints may occur. In the area of the skin, blotchy skin redness or open, often bleeding skin areas form. If the eyes are affected, visual disturbances may occur due to the involvement of the vessels of the retina. Eye redness and inflammation of the sclera cannot be ruled out. If the nervous system is involved, the symptoms include headaches, inflammation and paralysis. In a severe course, seizures or even a stroke may occur. The lungs can also become inflamed or there is a complete loss of function of the lungs. In the gastrointestinal tract, cramping abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and colic are possible. In addition, allergic vasculitis can also affect the heart, kidney, muscles and joints, as well as the ear, nose and throat tract, causing a wide range of symptoms and discomfort.
Diagnosis and course
No specific tests exist to diagnose allergic vasculitis. The symptoms are similar to those of other disorders. Nevertheless, to facilitate diagnosis, a catalog of six criteria for allergic vasculitis exists. A patient should meet at least four of the criteria to be diagnosed with the disorder. The criteria include: Asthma, a higher percentage a white blood cells, damage to one or more nerve groups, wandering spots or lesions on an X-ray, nasal and sinus problems, white blood cells located outside the blood vessels. An additional blood test may find certain antibodies associated with the hyperactive immune system. X-rays can support the diagnosis if abnormalities in the lungs or sinuses are discovered through them. If examinations already suggest allergic vasculitis, a biopsy of inflamed tissue may be performed.
Complications
Allergic vasculitis cannot be treated curatively. However, with appropriate drug administration, serious symptoms can be reduced to the point where the patient can live largely symptom-free despite allergic vasculitis. As a rule, allergic vasculitis is treated with the administration of cortisone. Complications with treatment are thus seen in the strong side effects of cortisone. These include: Severe infections (bronchitis, lngenitis), bone loss as well as porous bones prone to fractures, increased blood sugar. Depending on the severity of the allergic vasculitis, the doctor will start with the administration of very high doses of cortisone and reduce them only in the course of treatment. Side effects are therefore usually experienced at the beginning of treatment and subside as treatment progresses. Treatment with intravenously administered immunoglobulin is the gentlest of the treatment methods for allergic vasculitis. Immunoglobulin is given in a monthly dose; however, it is indicated only for mild allergic vasculitis. If allergic vasculitis is not treated or is treated incorrectly, the symptoms associated with vasculitis take a life-impairing course. These include: increased asthma with changes in lung tissue and subsequent emphysema formation, hemorrhage on the skin and other organs, up to damage to the heart, increased occurrence of white blood cells even outside the bloodstream, damage to individual nerves and nerve groups.
When should you go to the doctor?
In any case, a doctor should be consulted for this disease. It will usually not heal on its own, and spontaneous healing of allergic vasculitis does not occur. Medical treatment is necessary if so-called skin hemorrhages occur. If these occur, a doctor must be consulted immediately. Similarly, vasculitis may be manifested by bloody urine or pain in the joints. In the case of these complaints, a medical examination is necessary in any case. In this case, without treatment, damage to the nerves can occur, which is usually irreversible. As a rule, the symptoms of allergic vasculitis are not characteristic and may point to another disease. However, the risk should be excluded by visiting a doctor. Furthermore, symptoms of the nose and sinuses can also point to this disease. In most cases, a general practitioner can be consulted first. He can diagnose the vasculitis with a blood test and then initiate treatment. In acute emergencies, the hospital can also be visited directly.
Treatment and therapy
There is no cure for allergic vasculitis, but proper medication can help even people with serious symptoms improve their situation. The earlier treatment begins, the better the results will be. Medications used to treat allergic vasculitis include:
Cortisone is the most commonly prescribed drug for allergic vasculitis. At the beginning of treatment, high doses of cortisone may be given to control the symptoms. But because cortisone can cause serious side effects, including high blood sugar, bone loss, severe infections, the doctor will slowly reduce the dose back to the lowest dose needed. Other immune system inhibitors: for people with minor symptoms, cortisone will be sufficient in most cases. Other drugs that inhibit the immune system may be used. But they are usually associated with serious side effects as well. Intravenous immunoglobulin: Administered as a monthly infusion, this treatment is the gentlest. However, it is equally complex and expensive and is not successful in all cases.
Outlook and prognosis
Due to vasculitis, patients primarily suffer from skin bleeding. These can significantly limit the daily life of the affected person and also significantly reduce the patient’s quality of life. Likewise, there is severe pain in the joints and further also bloody urine. In many cases, early diagnosis is not possible because the symptoms are not particularly characteristic. If vasculitis is not treated, the internal organs can also be damaged by this disease. In this case, the damage is irreversible and the affected person may then be dependent on a transplant.However, vasculitis can be treated relatively well with the help of medication, so that the discomfort or pain can be limited. Life expectancy is also not limited with early treatment. Above all, the internal organs can be protected by proper treatment of vasculitis.
Prevention
Prevention of allergic vasculitis does not exist. Drug therapies can lead to a number of side effects that the patient can counteract. Taking cortisone damages the bones in the long term. Taking preparations that support bone formation and targeted training help to counteract the degradation of the bones. Through a healthy diet should be achieved that the blood sugar level is kept down, in addition, smoking should be stopped urgently.
Aftercare
Since the causes of allergic vasculitis are unknown, follow-up care is difficult. Nowadays, at least, drug control of vasculitis is possible. Permanent monitoring of the patients is necessary, if only because bleeding and pain occur as a result of allergic vasculitis. The aftercare of allergic vasculitis strives to improve the quality of life of the affected individuals. An important prerequisite for this is that the symptoms are recognized as allergic vasculitis in the first place. If this is not the case, internal organs are damaged unnoticed by the inflammation of blood vessels leading to the disease. Such organ damage is irreversible. Therefore, once a diagnosis has been made, it is absolutely essential that those affected receive permanent treatment and medical monitoring. The earlier follow-up measures are initiated after acute treatment, the higher the quality of life of those affected. Today, the symptoms of allergic vasculitis can be controlled to the extent that at least life expectancy does not suffer. However, the drugs administered can have side effects. Therefore, it is part of the aftercare to find other medications if necessary or to do some things only in the company of others. In aftercare, the protection of the organs is an important concern. The patient himself can help to keep his blood sugar level stable by eating a healthier diet. Smoking and consumption of stimulants should be severely restricted.
What you can do yourself
To date, allergic vasculitis has no cure. A well-controlled medication and some precautionary measures can help people with severe symptoms to improve their quality of life. In general, the disease should be clarified quickly, because the earlier treatment begins, the better the chances of cure. In addition to drug therapy, which includes regular use of cortisone, sedatives and antibiotics, the patient must change his or her lifestyle habits. Above all, a healthy diet is important. A suitable diet can regulate blood sugar levels and thus reduce the risk of symptoms. Patients must also stop smoking and severely limit the consumption of other stimulants. In addition, regular exercise should be taken. Moderate exercise is recommended during treatment. Since the prescribed medication can cause unforeseen side effects, the patient should be accompanied by a friend or relative at the beginning. Driving and other activities that require a high level of physical or mental performance should be avoided at first. If in doubt, the patient should take a sick leave until the acute symptoms have subsided and the medication has been optimally adjusted.
