If we talk about vascultis, it is very likely that the little word does not mean anything to most readers.
But the reality is that it is a disease that can affect anyone, although it rarely occurs before the age of 50, and some, like the one in question, are much more frequent in women.
Because vasculituis is not one ailment, but nine:
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giant cell arteritis
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Takayasu’s arteritis
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cryoglobulinemia
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Behcet’s disease
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Buerger’s disease
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Kawasaki disease
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Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
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Henoch-Schönlein purpura
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Churg-Strauss syndrome
What is a vaculitis?
It is an inflammation of the blood vessels that can thicken their walls. And since this causes the reduction of the internal duct, the first consequence is the reduction of blood flow, with which organs and tissues can be damaged.
But it must be made clear that we are talking about rare and highly complex ones, which can even cause complete interruption of vascular flow.
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The specialists explain that temporal giant cell arteritis is one of those that have been identified so far.
Rheumatologists differentiate all these types based on the type of blood vessel they affect (arteries, arterioles, veins, capillaries…).
That is why experts talk about large vessel, medium vessel, and small vessel vasculitis.
Temporal giant cell arteritis
In the case of this pathology, the blood vessels that become inflamed are the medium and large caliber arteries, with a special predilection for the cranial arteries derived from the carotid artery and that supply extracranial territories.
It mainly affects people over 50 years of age and its incidence increases with age, reaching a maximum peak between 70 and 79 years of age.
And as in practically all autoimmune diseases, it is more frequent in women, according to the doctor Javier Loriceraof the Rheumatology Service of the .
Also, temporal giant cell arteritis is the most common type of vasculitis in Europe and North America.
Symptoms
The most characteristic symptoms of this pathology are:
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Headache. Patients usually localize the pain in the temple area.
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Jaw fatigue when eating.
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Visual disturbances such as double vision, loss of vision in one eye, blurred vision and even blindness.
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Shoulder pain.
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Pain in the hips.
How is this type of vasculitis diagnosed?
As recognized by the SER, the diagnosis of vasculitis can become very complex.
The most common way to approach the patient with symptoms is to perform “many complementary tests in addition to the complete medical history, as well as general analytical tests.”
In the specific case of giant cell arteritis, the best way to confirm the diagnosis is to perform a temporal artery biopsy.
Can it be treated?
Each type of vasculitis will require personalized treatment, in which other considerations must also be taken into account, as explained by the SER:
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“The degree of systemic involvement
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Individual patient factors such as age
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The presence of other concomitant diseases, etc”.
Although in general immunosuppressants or corticosteroids are the most commonly used drugs, as Dr. Loricera points out…
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“Follow-up by the rheumatologist is essential to rigorously monitor the evolution of the disease, establish optimal early treatment and avoid possible complications such as blindness.”
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“Specifically, the fundamental treatment for this disease is corticosteroids, although new drugs have been developed in recent years.”
The specialist also stresses that “with proper management by the rheumatologist and correct treatment, most vasculitis achieve an acceptable evolution.”