`

Lupus vasculitis

Evidence: Antibody

Names

Lupus vasculitis

Description

Lupus vasculitis is an autoimmune complication of lupus erythematosus that occurs when proteins of the immune system enter the walls of the blood vessels, leading to inflammation.  Patients often experience ulcers, red marks, or bumps on the skin.  The spectrum of involvement ranges from relatively mild disease (affecting only small vessels and skin), to life threatening multi-organ disease. Treatments are available to control symptoms.  Early medical attention is necessary in severe cases to prevent lasting damage to the organs.

Prevalence

US Cases: 25,000 - 27,000 [Ramos-Casals 2006 and Lim 2014]. Ramos-Casals found vasculitis in 11% of SLE patients studied. Lim found SLE prevalence of 73 per 100,000.

Typical Age of onset

Recent data was unfound, but one previous study of 670 patients showed the average age of onset to be 37.8 years, with the earliest diagnosis at 17 years of age and the latest at 73 years of age.

Source: Ramos-Casals (2006)

Symptoms

  • Systemic

    • Fever

    • Malaise

    • Poor appetite

    • Weight loss

    • Fatigue

  • Skin 

    • Red or purple dots on the skin (petechiae)

    • Raised red or purple bumps on the skin (palpable purpura)

    • Itchy rash (hives)

    • Ulcers, especially around the ankles

    • Black dots around the nails of fingers and toes (nail fold infarcts)

    • Gangrene of fingers and toes

  • Joints

    • Pain in the joints with or without obvious swelling

  • Lungs

    • Cough (particularly coughing up blood)

    • Shortness of breath

  • Intestines

    • Cramping

    • Abdominal pain

    • Bloating

    • Blood in stool

  • Eyes

    • Sudden loss of vision

    • Blurred vision

    • Headaches

  • Brain

    • Headaches

    • Strokes

    • Changes in mental status

    • Confusion

    • Seizures

  • Nerve

    • Shooting pain in arms and legs

    • Numbness

    • Asymmetrical weakness

    • Tingling