| Abstract: |
Vasculitides form a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by blood-vessel inflammation and necrosis (tissue death). Systemic necrotizing vasculitis is characterized by inflammation of blood vessels, which often affects the eyes and kidneys. Vasculitides have a wide spectrum of manifestations because of the involvement of arteries and other vessels of various sizes and locations. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment may decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with systemic autoimmune diseases. In addition, the eyes and kidneys can provide clues to the diagnosis of many systemic diseases and many important complications of these diseases occur in the eye. Therefore, examination of the eyes and kidneys should be a routine and important part of a general examination in systemic diseases. This article reviews the major types of oculorenal manifestations in systemic autoimmune diseases. Diseases discussed include giant cell (temporal) arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa, Kawasaki disease, Wegener's granulomatosis and microscopic polyarteritis, Goodpasture's syndrome, IgA nephropathy and Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, Behcet's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), sarcoidosis, Sjogren's syndrome, cryoglobulinemia, and tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis syndrome. 6 figures. 124 references. |