Vasculitis
Vasculitis may not be as well-known as its autoimmune disease cousins lupus and multiple sclerosis (MS), however improving outcomes for patients with this debilitating, often fatal and little-known inflammatory disease is a key research focus for clinician-scientists in the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health.
What are the symptoms?
ANCA vasculitis varies in severity and may result in inflammation in a number of organ systems. Fever, joint aches, skin rash, and fatigue are common symptoms. There may also be involvement of the eyes, sinuses, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system. Bleeding into the lungs, called pulmonary haemorrhage, and kidney involvement, called ANCA associated glomerulonephritis, are the most severe manifestations and may be life threatening.
Who does it affect?
Although lacking the profile of other autoimmune diseases, vasculitis in Australia has a similar incidence to MS; 1/50,000 people, and most common in people aged 65-74 years. Genetic and environmental factors can both play a role in the development of this disease. Without treatment, 85 per cent of patients with vasculitis currently die within five years. Even with treatment, up to 30 per cent of patients die and half of those die from the treatment itself.
Treatment of vasculitis
Treatment of vasculitis depends on the severity and the organ system involved. Left untreated, severe vasculitis results in very poor outcomes. Current treatment options for severe vasculitis are medications like steroids, cyclophosphamide and rituximab, which supress the immune system and therefore aim to improve the autoantibody related inflammation. However, these medications are non-specific and associated with serious side effects, most prominently an increased risk of infection and an increased risk of cancer with cyclophosphamide.
Recommended vasculitis resources
For more information we recommend these resources: