What does polyarteritis mean?

What does polyarteritis mean?

noun Pathology. inflammation of the layers of an artery or of many arteries, usually caused by a severe hypersensitivity reaction, and characterized by nodules and hemorrhage along the involved vessels.

What causes polyarteritis?

Although the exact cause of polyarteritis nodosa is not known, it is clear that an attack may be triggered by any of several drugs or vaccines or by a reaction to infections (either bacterial or viral) such as strep or staph infections or hepatitis B virus.

Is polyarteritis nodosa serious?

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a condition that causes swollen arteries. It primarily affects small and medium arteries, which can become inflamed or damaged. This is a serious disease of the blood vessels caused by an immune system malfunction.

What are the symptoms of PAN?

Symptoms of PAN depend mainly on location and severity of the arteritis and extent of secondary ischemia. Only one organ or organ system may be affected. Patients typically present with fever, fatigue, night sweats, loss of appetite, weight loss, and generalized weakness.

How is polyarteritis diagnosed?

The diagnosis is confirmed by a biopsy showing pathologic changes in medium-sized arteries. The biopsy site may vary. Most biopsies are taken from skin, symptomatic nerve, or muscle. An angiogram of the abdominal blood vessels may also be very helpful in diagnosing PAN.

What causes PAN vasculitis?

The cause of PAN is unknown. PAN is not a form of cancer, it is not contagious, and it does not usually occur within families. Evidence from research laboratories strongly supports that the immune system plays a critical role in PAN, causing blood vessel and tissue inflammation and damage.

What is the life expectancy of someone with polyarteritis nodosa?

Without treatment, people with polyarteritis nodosa have a less than 15% chance of surviving 5 years. With treatment, people with polyarteritis nodosa have a greater than 80% chance of surviving 5 years. People whose kidneys, digestive tract, brain, or nerves are affected have a poor prognosis.

What are the signs and symptoms of polyarteritis nodosa?

PAN is a multisystem disease that may present with fever, sweats, weight loss, and severe muscle and joint aches/pains. PAN may develop in a subacute fashion, over several weeks or months. Patients may have nonspecific complaints such as fever, malaise, weight loss, anorexia, and abdominal pain.

What kind of doctor treats polyarteritis nodosa?

Consultation with a rheumatologist is appropriate. Other consultants should be sought according to organ system involvement and include the following: Cardiologist. Gastroenterologist.

What is the most involved organ in polyarteritis nodosa?

What is polyarteritis nodosa (PAN)? Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare disease that results from blood vessel inflammation (“vasculitis”) causing injury to organ systems. The areas most commonly affected by PAN include the nerves, intestinal tract, heart, and joints.

What kind of disease is polyarteritis nodosa?

Summary Summary. Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a blood vessel disease characterized by inflammation of small and medium-sized arteries (vasculitis), preventing them from bringing oxygen and food to organs.

Is there a cure for polyarteritis nodosa ( PAN )?

Treatment and Course of Polyarteritis Nodosa. Treatment of PAN has improved dramatically in the past couple of decades. Before the availability of effective therapy, untreated PAN was usually fatal within weeks to months. Most deaths occurred as a result of kidney failure, heart or gastrointestinal complications.

Can a person with polyarteritis nodosa remit vasculitis?

Evidence includes the observation that patients with polyarteritis nodosa associated with hepatitis B or hepatitis C have immune complexes consisting of immunoglobulin and viral antigens circulating in the blood and deposited in inflamed vessels. Moreover, antiviral therapy can remit the vasculitis in some of these patients.

How old do you have to be to get polyarteritis nodosa?

Polyarteritis nodosa is sometimes termed “systemic necrotizing vasculitis”, but this term is non-specific as other forms of vasculitis also have systemic and necrotizing features. Who gets Polyarteritis Nodosa (the “typical” patient)? Most cases of PAN occur in the 4th or 5th decade, although it can occur at any age.