Wegener's Granulomatosis is a common disorder that causes inflammation of the blood vessels. This inflammation restricts the blood flow to different organs.
Wegener's Granulomatosis, which is also called granulomatosis polyangiitis, often affecting the kidneys, lungs and upper respiratory tract. A limited blood flow in these organs can damage and can affect other organs, but generally not so serious.
Wegener's Granulomatosis also produce inflammatory tissue type known as a granuloma found around blood vessels. Granuloma can damage normal tissues.
The cause of
Wegener's Granulomatosis causes unknown. Seems to be growing after the events of early inflammation causes trigger abnormal reaction of the immune system. The combination of these events can cause inflammation, narrowed blood vessels and raises the perilous chain of inflammatory (granuloma).
The events that trigger the possible infection, but there is no specific infection has been identified as the cause.
Symptoms
Wegener's granulomatosis signs and symptoms can occur suddenly or over the next few months, which usually involves areas of the respiratory tract, such as sinus, throat or lungs. However, these conditions often deteriorate rapidly, which affects blood vessels and organs, such as kidneys. Signs and symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Eye redness, burning or pain
- Skin sores
- Blood in the urine (hematuria)
- Pain and swelling
- Weight loss suddenly
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
- Chest pain
- Cough
- Ear infections
- Sinus pain and inflammation (sinusitis)
- Nosebleeds
- Constant runny nose, sometimes with pus
Treatment
With early diagnosis and proper treatment, you can recover from wegener's granulomatosis in a few months. Maintenance therapy is often needs to be continued over the next 18 to 24 months.
In some cases, a longer treatment may be required. Because the disease can relapse, doctors will continue to monitor your condition carefully after treatment.
- OperationIf you have kidney failure as a result of wegener's granulomatosis, you may need a kidney transplant to restore kidney function to normal.
- PlasmapheresisAlso known as plasma exchange, this treatment eliminates the liquid part of blood (plasma) and separating it from the blood cells. Blood cells are then put back into your body, and your body produces new plasma to redeem what has been deleted.
- DrugsThe doctor may prescribe corticosteroids, immune system-suppressing drugs, and biological therapy with Rituximab (Rituxan).
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