Vasculitis


Etiology

Classification of Vasculitis (Based on Clinicopathologic Features): 1994 Chapel Hill Classification

Primary Idiopathic Vasculitis

Primary Small-Vessel, Immune Complex-Mediated Vasculitis

Secondary Vasculitis


Classification of Vasculitis (Based on Site of Vascular Involvement)

(Note: there can be some overlap between the site of vascular involvement in these disorders -> while small and medium-vessel vasculitides may also involve the medium-sized arteries, large-vessel vasculitides do not usually involve vessels smaller than arteries)

Large Vessel Vasculitis (involving aorta and arteries)

Medium-Vessel Vasculitis (involving arteries and arterioles)

Small-Vessel Vasculitis (involving arterioles, capillaries, venules, and veins)


Clinical Features

Features of Large Vessel Vasculitis

  • Limb Claudication
  • Asymmetric BP’s
  • Absence of Pulses
  • Bruits
  • Aortic Dilation

Features of Medium-Vessel Vasculitis

Features of Small-Vessel Vasculitis


Differentiating Features of Vasculitis Syndromes

Wegener’s Granulomatosis (see Wegeners Granulomatosis)

Microscopic Polyangiitis (see Microscopic Polyangiitis)

Churg-Strauss Syndrome (see Churg-Strauss Syndrome)

Polyarteritis Nodosa (see Polyarteritis Nodosa)

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) (see Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)

Goodpasture’s Syndrome (see Goodpasture’s Syndrome)

Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemosiderosis (see Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemosiderosis)

Isolated Pulmonary Capillaritis (see Isolated Pulmonary Capillaritis)

Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (see Henoch-Schonlein Purpura)

Type II or III Mixed Cryoglobulinemia (see Cryoglobulinemia)

Rheumatoid Vasculitis (see Rheumatoid Arthritis)


References