Vaskuliten
Vaskuliten, or vasculitis, is a collective term for a group of disorders characterized by inflammation of the walls of blood vessels. The inflammation can affect arteries, veins, and capillaries of any size, potentially leading to narrowed or weakened vessels, reduced blood flow, organ damage, or aneurysm formation. The condition can be limited to a single vessel or involve multiple organs, and it may be acute or chronic.
Classification generally follows vessel size. Large vessel vasculitis includes conditions such as giant cell arteritis and
Etiology is diverse and often immune-mediated, with triggers including infections, drugs, or underlying autoimmune diseases. In
Treatment aims to control inflammation, prevent organ damage, and manage complications. First-line therapy typically involves corticosteroids,