Vasculitis: Pathogenesis, types and treatment

A step wise approach to the pathogenesis, types, disease entities and diagnosis of vasculitis. This discussion also includes the management options of vasculitis and their adverse drug reactions. In essence, vasculitis is a clfinicopathologic process characterised by inflammation and damage of blood vessels. This may be mainly due to three pathological processes which include immune complex deposition, anti-neutrophillic antibody formation and pathological T lymphocyte response and granuloma formation. The disease entities include Wegner's granulomatosis, Churg Strauss and many others. These present with palpable purpura, unexplained renal dysfunction etc which can be diagnosed based on biopsy and angiogram.