Rheumatoid vasculitis
Evidence: Antibody
Names
Rheumatoid Vasculitis
RV
Description
Rheumatoid vasculitis (RV) is a rare autoimmune disorder affecting a small number of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which causes inflammation and damage to the blood vessels. Vessels in any part of the body may be affected, though large blood vessels are less likely to be impacted than medium or small blood vessels. RV most often develops in patients who have suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for 10 to 14 years. Patients often experience feelings of malaise, sores on the legs, severely decreased blood flow to the fingers and toes, nerve problems, and eye aggravation. The cause of RV is uncertain, though smoking is believed to significantly increase risk. Complications involving the organs may be fatal. Available treatments have mixed success, and prognosis remains poor.
Patient Groups
Bloggers
None
Prevalence
US Cases: 273,000 - 839,000 [Bartels 2009]. Bartels provides rates of vasculitis among RA patients over time, with a range of 25.9% to 33.2% from 2003 through 2006.
Typical Age of onset
Median age of onset is 63 years.
Source: Kishore 2017
Symptoms
Small brown spots around the nails (nail fold infarcts)
Ulcers on the legs
Raised purple spots on the skin (palpable purpura)
Tingling or numbness
Difficulty moving part of the body
Inflammation in the whites of the eyes (scleritis)
Vision changes
Eye pain
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Blood in the urine or stool
Fever
Weight loss
References
Johns Hopkins
Cleveland Clinic
WebMD
Kishore 2017
Kuntal 2016
Makol 2015
Sacks and Steuer (2017)
Profile by Noopur Vijaya Goyal
