Vasculitis

Vasculitis is a group of disorders that involve inflammation of the blood vessels. This inflammation causes changes in the walls of the vessels, including thickening, weakening, narrowing, or scarring. These changes can disrupt normal blood flow, leading to organ and tissue damage. The condition can affect any of the body's blood vessels, including arteries, veins, and capillaries. Vasculitis can be a primary condition or a secondary response to an underlying disease, such as an autoimmune disorder, infection, or malignancy. Symptoms vary widely, depending on the vessels and organs affected, and can range from mild to life-threatening.

There are several types of vasculitis, classified by the size of the affected vessels and sometimes by the cause or the pattern of organ involvement. Common forms include giant cell arteritis, affecting large vessels; granulomatosis with polyangiitis, targeting small to medium vessels; and Behçet's disease, which can involve vessels of all sizes. Diagnosis typically involves a combination of patient history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and imaging studies. Biopsy of affected tissue is often the definitive diagnostic procedure. Treatment generally includes corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and, for more severe cases, immune-suppressing medications to control the underlying immune response causing the vasculitis.