Types of Vasculitis

There are many different disorders that are classified as types of vasculitis. Although all of these disorders include inflammation of the blood vessels, most differ from each other in terms of what populations of people and which organs they affect.

Behcet’s Disease

Behcet’s disease can affect any part of the body because it can occur in vessels of any size or type. Commonly affected organs include the eyes, the mouth, and the genitals. Patients with this type of vasculitis are often younger than those with other types, many times in their twenties and thirties. The HLA-B51 gene allele is often associated with Behcet’s disease, but not everyone with the gene will develop the disease. Behcet’s is more common in individuals of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, or Far Eastern descent, but is usually not found in Blacks.

Buerger’s Disease

Buerger’s disease typically affects blood flow to the hands and feet. Buerger’s disease is also known as thromboangiitis obliterans and is more likely to occur in smokers than nonsmokers.

Central Nervous System Vasculitis

Central nervous system vasculitis affects the brain and sometimes the spinal cord.

Churg-Strauss Syndrome

Churg-Strauss syndrome can affect many different organs, but it most commonly affects the lungs, skin, kidneys, and heart. Many people who are diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome also have asthma. They may have had preexisting, newly diagnosed, or recently worsened asthma when diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome.

Cryoglobulinemia

Common signs and symptoms of cryoglobulinemia (KRI-o-GLOB-u-luh-NE-me-uh) are a rash on the lower limbs, arthritis, and nerve damage. Type 1 cryoglobulinemia is often associated with lymphoma, while Type 2 cryoglobulinemia is often associated with hepatitis C infection.

Giant Cell Arteritis

Common symptoms of giant cell arteritis include headache, fever, blurred vision, and pain in the jaw, shoulders, or hips. It is the most common form of vasculitis that occurs in adults older than 50 years. It is more likely to occur in people of Scandinavian origin, but can occur in people of any race.

Henoch-Schonlein Purpura

Henoch-Schonlein purpura most commonly affects the skin, kidneys, joints, and stomach. It is the most common form of vasculitis found in children, but can occur at any age. When seen in children, it often follows an upper respiratory infection. It is not usually a chronic disease, and full recovery is common.

Microscopic Polyangiitis

Microscopic polyangiitis (POL-e-an-je-i-tis) most commonly affects the kidneys, skin, and nerves, but it can affect any organ in the body.

Polyarteritis Nodosa

Polyarteritis nodosa (POL-e-ar-ter-i-tis no-DO-suh) most commonly affects the kidneys, skin, and nerves, but it can affect any organ in the body. It is most common in people in their thirties and forties. Men are twice as likely as women to get polyarteritis nodosa. In some cases, it is associated with chronic hepatitis B infection or a very specific type of leukemia known as hairy cell leukemia.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Polymyalgia rheumatica (POL-e-mi-AL-je-a ROO-ma-ti-kuh) most commonly affects the large joints in the body, such as the shoulders and hips. It often occurs along with giant cell arteritis.

Rheumatoid Vasculitis

Rheumatoid vasculitis can affect many different organs, including the eyes, skin, hands, and feet. It commonly occurs in patients who have severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Takayasu’s Arteritis

Takayasu (Tock-e-AH-sue) arteritis (ar-ter-I-tis) affects the aorta (the largest blood vessel in the body) and its branches, which carry blood away from the heart. It typically occurs in Asian women younger than 40.

Wegener’s Granulomatosis

Wegener’s granulomatosis (GRAN-u-lo-ma-TO-sis) can occur anywhere in the body. It most commonly affects the upper respiratory tract (nose, sinuses, and throat), lungs, and kidneys. It is most common in people who are middle-aged and older.