Is vasculitis a serious condition?

Question

Can it be cured?What exactly are the physical conditions that result?How is it going to be for a 7 year old kid?Can you please explain?

Answer 1

depends on what type vasculitis, which blood vessels are affected and the severity of disease. We'd need a lot more info before giving an accurate answer.

http://www.printo.it/pediatric-rheumatology/information/Australia/pdf/8_Vasculitis.pdf

Answer 2

An enormous number of symptoms are possible because any organ system may be involved. If the skin is involved, there may be a rash. If nerves suffer loss of blood supply, there may initially be an abnormal sensation followed by a loss of sensation.

Vasculitis in the brain may cause a stroke, or in the heart, may result in a heart attack. Inflammation in the kidney could result in abnormalities noted on urine tests and can lead to progressive kidney failure.

Sometimes the symptoms may be as general as fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and loss of energy. If you suffer any unusual symptoms, see your doctor.

How Is Vasculitis Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of vasculitis is based on a person's medical history, current symptoms, complete physical examination, and the results of specialized laboratory tests. A doctor can test for blood abnormalities, which can occur when vasculitis is present. These abnormalities include:

Anemia
A high white blood cell count
A high platelet count
Signs of kidney or liver problems
Signs of an allergic reaction
Blood tests also can identify immune complexes or antibodies (ways the body fights off what it thinks is a threat) that cause vasculitis. Additional tests may include X-rays, tissue biopsies, blood vessel and heart scans.

How Is Vasculitis Treated?
Treatment depends entirely upon diagnosis and the affected organs. When vasculitis is the result of an allergic reaction, it may go away on its own and not require treatment. In other instances, when critical organs such as the lungs, brain or kidneys are involved, aggressive and timely treatment is necessary.

Treatment generally consists of corticosteroid medications ("steroids"). Chemotherapeutic drugs (such as those used to treat cancer) are also used, but in doses considerably lower than people with cancer may receive. The goal of this type of chemotherapy is to suppress the abnormal immune response that has led to blood vessel damage.

What Is the Outlook for People With Vasculitis?
The outlook for someone with vasculitis varies, depending on the type of vasculitis the person has. In the past, people with severe vasculitis may have expected to survive only weeks or months. Today, however, normal life spans are possible with proper treatment. The success of treatment is related to prompt diagnosis, aggressive treatment and careful follow-up.

Once vasculitis is under control, medications may be cautiously withdrawn, with the hope that the patient will sustain a long remission or cure, without the need for further treatment. Because doctors cannot predict how long a person may remain in remission, it is very important for people with more severe forms of vasculitis to continue under the care of a knowledgeable doctor for the rest of their lives.



Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases and Pain Management Department.

Answer 3

Vasculitis for children has a higher chance of getting cured, of course I would agree with others that more info is needed