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Vasculitis is the name of a group of conditions that cause inflammation of the blood vessels.
Inflammation is your immune system's natural response to injury or infection. It causes swelling and can help the body deal with invading germs.
But in vasculitis, for some reason the immune system attacks healthy blood vessels, causing them to become swollen and narrow.
This may be triggered by an infection, another underlying condition, or a medicine, although often the cause is unknown.
Vasculitis can range from a minor problem that just affects the skin, to a more serious illness that causes problems with organs like the heart or kidneys.
There are many types of vasculitis. The rest of this page discusses a range of potential causes.
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, also called Churg-Strauss syndrome, is a type of vasculitis that mainly affects adults around 38 to 54.
It can cause:
It can also affect the nerves, causing weakness, pins and needles or numbness, and sometimes damages the kidneys or heart muscle.
It's usually treated with steroid medicine.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Temporal arteritis, also known as giant cell arteritis, is a type of vasculitis where the arteries at the side of the head (the temples) become inflamed.
It mostly affects adults over the age of 50 and can cause:
Some people with temporal arteritis also get polymyalgia rheumatica (muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders, neck and hips).
The main treatment for temporal arteritis is steroid medicine.
Find out more about temporal arteritis
Get advice from 111 now if you think you might have temporal arteritis.
It can lead to serious problems like stroke and blindness if not treated quickly.
111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.
Go to 111 online or call 111.
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, also called Wegener's granulomatosis, is a type of vasculitis that affects blood vessels in the nose, sinuses, ears, lungs and kidneys.
It mainly affects middle-aged or older people and can cause:
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a serious condition that can be fatal if left untreated, as it can lead to organ failure.
It's usually treated with steroid medicine or other medicines that reduce the activity of the immune system.
Henoch-Schönlein purpura is a rare type of vasculitis that can affect the skin, kidneys or bowel.
Children often get it and it's thought to be triggered by the body reacting to an infection.
It can cause:
Henoch-Schönlein purpura is not usually serious and often gets better without treatment.
Kawasaki disease is a condition that mainly affects children under the age of 5.
The characteristic symptoms are a high temperature that lasts for 5 days or more, and possibly 1 or more of the following symptoms:
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a solution of antibodies, and aspirin are the 2 main medicines used to treat Kawasaki disease.
Aspirin is not usually recommended for children under 16, so do not give aspirin to your child unless advised to by their doctor.
Microscopic polyangiitis is a rare and potentially serious long-term type of vasculitis that most often develops in middle-aged people.
It can affect any organ, but often affects the lungs, kidneys and nerves.
It can cause:
Microscopic polyangiitis is usually treated with steroid medicine or other medicines that reduce the activity of the immune system.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about microscopic polyangiitis
Polyarteritis nodosa is a rare type of vasculitis that particularly affects the arteries supplying the gut, kidneys and nerves.
It tends to develop in middle-aged people.
It can sometimes be triggered by an infection, such as hepatitis B, but the exact cause is uncertain.
It can cause:
Polyarteritis nodosa can be very serious if it's not treated. The main treatment is steroid medicine, and sometimes other medicines that reduce the activity of the immune system.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about polyarteritis nodosa
Polymyalgia rheumatica is a type of vasculitis that's closely related to temporal arteritis.
It mostly affects adults over 50 and is more common in women than men.
It can cause:
The main treatment is steroid medicine, which is usually used in lower doses than for temporal arteritis.
Takayasu arteritis is a type of vasculitis that mainly affects young women. It's very rare in the UK.
It affects the main artery from the heart, as well as the major arteries branching off it.
It can cause:
Takayasu arteritis is usually treated with steroid medicine.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about Takayasu arteritis
Behçet's disease typically causes mouth ulcers and genital ulcers, and is more common in people from Greece, Turkey, the Middle East, China and Japan.
Buerger's disease affects blood vessels in the legs and arms, leading to reduced blood flow to the hands and feet. It's closely linked to smoking.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about Buerger’s disease
Cogan's syndrome is inflammation of the blood vessels in the inner ears and eyes.
The Vasculitis UK website had more information about Cogan’s syndrome
Cryoglobulin-associated vasculitis is caused by abnormal proteins in the blood called cryoglobulins.
It can sometimes happen after a hepatitis C infection and causes a rash on the lower limbs, joint pain, nerve damage, tummy (abdominal) pain and kidney problems.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about cryoglobulin-associated vasculitis
Hypersensitivity vasculitis is usually caused by a reaction to a medicine, such as NSAIDs or certain antibiotics, and results in a temporary rash.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about hypersensitivity vasculitis
Primary angiitis of the central nervous system is inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about primary angiitis of the central nervous system
Rheumatoid vasculitis is vasculitis associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
The Vasculitis UK website has more information about rheumatoid vasculitis
