Rheumatoid
vasculitis is a rare but serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis
which occurs in 1-5% of patients diagnosed with RA (Genta 2006). In
rheumatoid vasculitis, inflammation of small and medium-sized blood
vessels in the body restricts blood flow and causes tissue damage.
Multiple organs may be affected including the skin, nerves, eyes, heart,
lung, brain, gastrointestinal tract or kidneys. It most commonly
affects the skin, arteries of the fingers and toes, peripheral nervous
system, and eyes causing scleritis (an inflammation of the white part of
the eye).
Who develops rheumatoid vasculitis?
Vasculitis in RA is associated with longstanding (more than 10 years), erosive, seropositive disease. It is more common in men than women with RA and in patients who smoke. People who develop rheumatoid vasculitis usually have elevated sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, and anti-tissue antibodies (eg. anti-cyclic citrullinated polypeptides (anti-CCPs), antinuclear antibodies). Patients with rheumatoid vasculitis will also often have rheumatoid nodules.
Clinical reports have estimated the prevalence of RA vasculitis at less than 1% to 5% (Bartels 2009), whereas autopsy studies have reported 15% to 31% (Genta 2006). However, it appears that rheumatoid vasculitis has been on the decline since the introduction of biologic therapies to treat RA (Bartels 2010).
- See more at: http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/168959/rheumatoid#sthash.Rw9T0VPl.dpuf
What is rheumatoid vasculitis?Who develops rheumatoid vasculitis?
Vasculitis in RA is associated with longstanding (more than 10 years), erosive, seropositive disease. It is more common in men than women with RA and in patients who smoke. People who develop rheumatoid vasculitis usually have elevated sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, and anti-tissue antibodies (eg. anti-cyclic citrullinated polypeptides (anti-CCPs), antinuclear antibodies). Patients with rheumatoid vasculitis will also often have rheumatoid nodules.
Clinical reports have estimated the prevalence of RA vasculitis at less than 1% to 5% (Bartels 2009), whereas autopsy studies have reported 15% to 31% (Genta 2006). However, it appears that rheumatoid vasculitis has been on the decline since the introduction of biologic therapies to treat RA (Bartels 2010).
- See more at: http://www.healthcentral.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/c/72218/168959/rheumatoid#sthash.Rw9T0VPl.dpuf
Rheumatoid vasculitis is a rare but serious complication of rheumatoid arthritis which occurs in 1-5% of patients diagnosed with RA (Genta 2006). In rheumatoid vasculitis, inflammation of small and medium-sized blood vessels in the body restricts blood flow and causes tissue damage. Multiple organs may be affected including the skin, nerves, eyes, heart, lung, brain, gastrointestinal tract or kidneys. It most commonly affects the skin, arteries of the fingers and toes, peripheral nervous system, and eyes causing scleritis (an inflammation of the white part of the eye).
Who develops rheumatoid vasculitis?
Vasculitis in RA is associated with longstanding (more than 10 years), erosive, seropositive disease. It is more common in men than women with RA and in patients who smoke. People who develop rheumatoid vasculitis usually have elevated sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein, and anti-tissue antibodies (eg. anti-cyclic citrullinated polypeptides (anti-CCPs), antinuclear antibodies). Patients with rheumatoid vasculitis will also often have rheumatoid nodules.
Clinical reports have estimated the prevalence of RA vasculitis at less than 1% to 5% (Bartels 2009), whereas autopsy studies have reported 15% to 31% (Genta 2006). However, it appears that rheumatoid vasculitis has been on the decline since the introduction of biologic therapies to treat RA (Bartels 2010).
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What is Rheumatoid Vasculitis?
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