vasculitisangitis

Vasculitisangitis is a term occasionally encountered in medical discussions to describe inflammatory processes that involve both the walls of blood vessels and the walls of lymphatic vessels. It is not a widely recognized or standardized diagnosis in major clinical guidelines, and the term may reflect either an overlap of vasculitis and lymphangitis or a descriptive label used in case reports rather than a distinct disease entity.

Pathophysiology and presentation: The proposed concept implies immune-mediated inflammation; involvement may be limited to small and medium-sized vessels and can be accompanied by lymphatic inflammation. Clinical features are variable and may include skin findings such as purpura or ulcers, peripheral neuropathy, and organ involvement depending on which vessels are affected (kidneys, lungs). Lymphatic involvement may contribute to edema or localized lymphangitis.

Diagnosis: No universal criteria exist. Evaluation relies on clinical pattern, laboratory tests (inflammatory markers, autoantibodies such as ANCA in some cases), imaging to assess vascular involvement, and histopathology from biopsy showing vasculitis with inflammatory infiltrates; distinguishing from pure vasculitis or isolated lymphangitis is challenging and often requires expert review.

Differential diagnosis and management: The differential includes established vasculitides (eg, polyarteritis nodosa, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis) and lymphatic diseases, infections, or malignancies. Treatment is generally directed at controlling the inflammatory process and may include corticosteroids and steroid-sparing immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide, rituximab, or azathioprine, tailored to the suspected underlying mechanism and organ involvement. Management of infections and complications is essential. Prognosis varies widely and depends on severity and response to treatment; data are limited due to the lack of formal diagnostic criteria for this term.