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Flashcards in CH7 - Vascular Pathology Deck (146)
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1
Q

What is vasculitis?

A

Inflammation of the blood vessel wall

2
Q

What is the arterial wall comprised of?

A

three layers: endothelial intima, smooth muscle media, and connective tissue adventitia

3
Q

What is the etiology for vasculitis?

A

usually unknown; most cases are not infectious.

4
Q

What do the clinical features for vasculitis include?

A

1) Nonspecific symptoms of inflammation (e.g., fever, fatigue, weight loss, and myalgias) 2) Symptoms of organ ischemia—due to luminal narrowing or thrombosis of the inflamed vessels

5
Q

Why are there symptoms of organ ischemia in vasculitis?

A

Its due to luminal narrowing or thrombosis of the inflamed vessels

6
Q

How is vasculitis divided?

A

into large-, medium-, and small-vessel vasculitides

7
Q

What does large-vessel vasculitis involve?

A

the aorta and its major branches.

8
Q

What does medium-vessel vasculitis involve?

A

muscular arteries that supply organs.

9
Q

What does small-vessel vasculitis involve?

A

arterioles, capillaries, and venules.

10
Q

What are the large vessel vasculitis?

A

Temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis and Takayasu Arteritis

11
Q

What is temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis?

A

Granulomatous vasculitis that classically involves branches of the carotid artery

12
Q

What is the most common form of vasculitis in older adults (> 50 years)?

A

temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis and usually affects females

13
Q

How does temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis present?

A

as headache (temporal artery involvement), visual disturbances (ophthalmic artery involvement), and jaw claudication. Flu-like symptoms with joint and muscle pain (polymyalgia rheumatica) are often present. ESR is elevated.

14
Q

What does biopsy of temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis reveal?

A

inflamed vessel wall with giant cells and intima fibrosis

15
Q

How do the lesions appear?

A

They are segmental;

16
Q

What does diagnosis of temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis require?

A

biopsy of a long segment of vessel, and a negative biopsy does not exclude disease.

17
Q

What is the treatment for temporal (Giant Cell) Arteritis?

A

it is corticosteroids; high risk of blindness without treatment

18
Q

What is Takayasu Arteritis?

A

Granulomatous vasculitis that classically involves the aortic arch at branch points

19
Q

Takayasu Arteritis presents in?

A

adults < 50 years old (classically, young Asian females) as visual and neurologic symptoms with a weak or absent pulse in the upper extremity (‘pulseless disease’). ESR is elevated.

20
Q

What is the treatment for Takayasu Arteritis?

A

it is corticosteroids

21
Q

What are the medium vessel vasculitis?

A

Polyarteritis Nodosa, Kawasaki Disease, Buerger Disease

22
Q

What is Polyarteritis Nodosa?

A

Necrotizing vasculitis involving multiple organs; lungs are spared.

23
Q

How does Polyarteritis Nodosa classically present?

A

in young adults as hypertension (renal artery involvement), abdominal pain with melena (mesenteric artery involvement), neurologic disturbances, and skin lesions.

24
Q

What is Polyarteritis Nodosa associated with?

A

serum HBsAg

25
Q

In Polyarteritis Nodosa what types of lesions are present?

A

Lesions of varying stages are present.

26
Q

What does the early lesion of Polyarteritis Nodosa consist of?

A

transmural inflammation with fibrinoid necrosis that eventually heals with fibrosis,

27
Q

How does the early lesion of Polyarteritis Nodosa appear on imaging?

A

It produces a string-of-pearls appearance on imaging

28
Q

What is the treatment for Polyarteritis Nodosa?

A

corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide; fatal if not treated

29
Q

Who does Kawasaki Disease classically affect?

A

Asian children < 4 years old

30
Q

How does Kawasaki disease present?

A

with nonspecific signs including fever, conjunctivitis, erythematous rash of palms and soles, and enlarged cervicai lymph nodes

31
Q

In Kawasaki disease involvement of what is common and what does this usually lead to?

A

Coronary artery involvement is common and leads to risk for (1) thrombosis with myocardial infarction and (2) aneurysm with rupture.

32
Q

What is the treatment for Kawasaki disease?

A

It is aspirin and IVIG; disease is self-limited.

33
Q

What is Buerger Disease?

A

Necrotizing vasculitis involving digits

34
Q

How does Buerger Disease?

A

Presents with ulceration, gangrene, and autoamputation of fingers and toes

35
Q

In Buerger Disease, what is often present?

A

Raynaud phenomenon

36
Q

Buerger Disease is highly associated with what patient behavior?

A

heavy smoking; treatment is smoking cessation.

37
Q

What are the small vessel vasculitis?

A

Wegener Granulomatous, microscopic polyangiitis, Churg-Strauss Syndrome, Henoch-Schönlein Purpura

38
Q

What is Wegener Granulomatosis?

A

Necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis involving nasopharynx, lungs, and kidneys

39
Q

What is the classic presentation for Wegener Granulomatosis?

A

the classic presentation is a middle-aged male with sinusitis or nasopharyngeal ulceration, hemoptysis with bilateral nodular lung infiltrates, and hematuria due to rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.

40
Q

In Wegener Granulomatosis how can you gauge disease activity?

A

Serum c-ANCA levels correlate with disease activity,

41
Q

What does Wegener Granulomatosis Biopsy reveal?

A

large necrotizing granulomas with adjacent necrotizing vasculitis

42
Q

What is the treatment for Wegener Granulomatosis?

A

it is cyclophosphamide and steroids; relapses are common,

43
Q

What is microscopic polyangiitis?

A

Necrotizing vasculitis involving multiple organs, especially lung and kidney

44
Q

What is the presentation for microscopic polyangiitis?

A

It is similar to Wegener granulomatosis, but nasopharyngeal involvement and granulomas are absent.

45
Q

How can you gauge microscopic polyangiitis disease activity?

A

Serum p-ANCA levels correlate with disease activity

46
Q

What is the treatment for microscopic polyangiitis?

A

It is corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide; relapses are common.

47
Q

What is Churg-Strauss Syndrome?

A

Necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with eosinophils involving multiple organs, especially lungs and heart

48
Q

In Churg-Strauss Syndrome what else are also present in addition to the necrotizing granulomatous inflammation?

A

Asthma and peripheral eosinophilia are often present.

49
Q

How could you gauge Churg-Strauss Syndrome?

A

Serum p-ANCA levels correlate with disease activity.

50
Q

What is Henoch-Schönlein Purpura?

A

Vasculitis due to IgA immune complex deposition

51
Q

What is the most common vasculitis in children?

A

Henoch-Schönlein Purpura

52
Q

How does Henoch-Schönlein Purpura present?

A

with palpable purpura on buttocks and legs, CI pain and bleeding, and hematuria (IgA nephropathy);

53
Q

Henoch-Schönlein Purpura usually occurs following what?

A

an upper respiratory tract infection

54
Q

How is Henoch-Schönlein Purpura treated?

A

Disease is self-limited, but may recur; treated with steroids, if severe

55
Q

What is hypertension?

A

Increased blood pressure; may involve pulmonary or systemic circulation

56
Q

What is Systemic HTN is defined as?

A

pressure greater than 140/90 mm Hg (normal < 120/80 mm Hg);

57
Q

How is HTN divided and what is this division based on?

A

divided into primary or secondary types based on etiology

58
Q

What is primary HTN?

A

HTN of unknown etiology (95% of cases)

59
Q

What are the risk factors for primary HTN?

A

They include age, race (increased risk in African Americans, decreased risk in Asians), obesity, stress, lack of physical activity, and high-salt diet.

60
Q

What is secondary HTN?

A

HTN due to an identifiable etiology (5% of cases)

61
Q

What is a common cause of secondary HTN ?

A

Renal artery stenosis is a common cause (renovascular hypertension).

62
Q

How does renal artery stenosis lead to secondary HTN ?

A

1) Stenosis decreases blood flow to glomerulus. 2) juxtaglomerular apparatus (JGA) responds by secreting renin, which converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin 1. 3) Angiotensin I is converted to angiotensin 11 (ATII) by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE).

63
Q

In secondary HTN what are important causes of stenosis?

A

include atherosclerosis (elderly males) and fibromuscular dysplasia (young females).

64
Q

What is fibromuscular dysplasia?

A

it is a developmental defect of the blood vessel wall, resulting in irregular thickening of large- and medium-sized arteries, especially the renal artery.

65
Q

In addition to primary and secondary HTN what is another way to classify HTN?

A

it can also be classified as benign or malignant

66
Q

What is benign HTN?

A

it is a mild or moderate elevation in blood pressure;

67
Q

Are most cases of HTN benign or malignant?

A

Benign

68
Q

How does benign HTN present clinically?

A

Its clinically silent; vessels and organs are damaged slowly over time.

69
Q

What is malignant HTN?

A

it is severe elevation in blood pressure (> 200/120 mm Hg)

70
Q

What percentage of HTN cases are malignant?

A

malignant HTN comprises < 5% of cases

71
Q

When may malignant HTN arise?

A

from preexisting benign HTN or de novo

72
Q

How does malignant HTN present?

A

with acute end-organ damage (e.g., acute renal failure, headache, and papilledema) and is a medical emergency

73
Q

What is arteriosclerosis?

A

Literally, hard arteries; due to thickening of the blood vessel wall

74
Q

What are the three pathologic patterns for arteriosclerosis ?

A

atherosclerosis, arteriolosclerosis, and Monckeberg medial calcific sclerosis

75
Q

What is atherosclerosis?

A

Intimal plaque that obstructs blood flow

76
Q

What does atherosclerosis consists of?

A

a necrotic lipid core (mostly cholesterol) with a fibromuscular cap, often undergoes dystrophic calcification

77
Q

What does atherosclerosis involve?

A

large- and medium-sized arteries; abdominal aorta, coronary artery, popliteal artery, and internal carotid artery are commonly affected.

78
Q

How are the risk factors for atherosclerosis divided?

A

into modifiable and nonmodiliable.

79
Q

What are modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis?

A

it includes hypertension, hypercholesterolemia (LDL increases risk; HDL decreases risk), smoking, and diabetes.

80
Q

What are nonmodifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis?

A

Age, gender, genetics

81
Q

How does age affect atherosclerosis?

A

number and severity of lesions increase with age

82
Q

How does gender affect atherosclerosis?

A

increased risk in males and postmenopausal females; estrogen is protective

83
Q

How does genetics affect atherosclerosis?

A

multifactorial, but family history is highly predictive of risk

84
Q

What is the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis?

A

Damage to endothelium allows lipids to leak into the intima. 2. Lipids are oxidized and then consumed by macrophages via scavenger receptors, resulting in foam cells. Inflammation and healing leads to deposition of’extracellular matrix and proliferation o

85
Q

What are fatty streaks?

A

flat yellow lesions of the intima consisting of lipid-laden macrophages

86
Q

What are the morphologic stages in atherosclerosis?

A

1) Begins as fatty streaks; arise early in life (present in most teenagers) 2) Progresses to atherosclerotic plaque

87
Q

What are the complications of atherosclerosis?

A

1) Stenosis of medium sized vessels 2) plaque rupture 3) weakening of vessel wall

88
Q

What accounts for >50% of disease in Western countries?

A

complications of atherosclerosis

89
Q

What does stenosis of medium-sized vessels result in?

A

impaired blood flow and ischemia

90
Q

What does stenosis lead to? (what arteries are involved)

A

i. Peripheral vascular disease (lower extremity arteries, e.g., popliteal) ii. Angina (coronary arteries) iii. Ischemic bowel disease (mesenteric arteries)

91
Q

In atherosclerosis, what does plaque rupture with thrombosis results in?

A

myocardial infarction (coronary arteries) and stroke (e.g., middle cerebral artery)

92
Q

In atherosclerosis, what does plaque rupture with embolization result in?

A

atherosclerotic emboli, characterized by cholesterol crystals within the embolus

93
Q

In atherosclerosis, what does weakening of vessel wall result in?

A

aneurysm (e.g., abdominal aorta)

94
Q

What is arteriolosclerosis?

A

Narrowing of small arterioles

95
Q

What is arteriolosclerosis divided into?

A

hyaline and hyperplastic types

96
Q

What is hyaline arteriolosclerosis caused by?

A

proteins leaking into the vessel wall, producing vascular thickening;

97
Q

In hyaline arteriolosclerosis what is seen on microscopy?

A

proteins are seen as pink hyaline on microscopy

98
Q

Hyaline arteriolosclerosis is a consequence of what?

A

long-standing benign hypertension or diabetes

99
Q

What does hyaline arteriolosclerosis result in?

A

reduced vessel caliber with end-organ ischemia

100
Q

What does hyaline arteriolosclerosis classically produce?

A

glomerular scarring (arteriolonephrosclerosis) that slowly progresses to chronic renal failure

101
Q

What is hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis?

A

it involves thickening of vessel wall by hyperplasia of smooth muscle onion-skin appearance

102
Q

What is hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis a consequence of?

A

malignant hypertension

103
Q

What does hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis result in?

A

reduced vessel caliber with end-organ ischemia

104
Q

What may hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis lead to?

A

fibrinoid necrosis of the vessel wall with hemorrhage

105
Q

What does the fibrinoid necrosis in hyperplastic arteriolosclerosis classically cause and how does it appear?

A

acute renal failure with a characteristic flea-bitten appearance

106
Q

What is monckeberg medial calcific sclerosis?

A

calcification of the media of muscular (medium-sized) arteries; nonobstructive

107
Q

How does monckeberg medial calcific sclerosis present clinically?

A

Not clinically significant; seen as an incidental finding on x-ray or mammography

108
Q

What is aortic dissection?

A

Intimal tear with dissection of blood through media of the aortic wall

109
Q

Where does aortic dissection occur?

A

in the proximal 10 cm of the aorta (high stress region) with preexisting weakness of the media

110
Q

What is the most common cause of aortic dissection?

A

hypertension (older adults); also associated with inherited defects of connective tissue (younger individuals)

111
Q

How can HTN lead to aortic dissection?

A

Hypertension results in hyaline arteriosclerosis of the vasa vasorum; decreased flow causes atrophy of the media.

112
Q

What syndromes may lead to aortic dissection?

A

Marfan syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome classically leads to weakness of the connective tissue in the media (cystic medial necrosis)

113
Q

What does aortic dissection present as?

A

sharp, tearing chest pain that radiates to the back

114
Q

What are the complications for aortic dissection?

A

it includes pericardial tamponade, rupture with fatal hemorrhage, and obstruction of branching arteries (e.g., coronary or renal) with resultant end-organ ischemia

115
Q

What is the most common cause of death in aortic dissection?

A

pericardial tamponade

116
Q

What is a thoracic aneurysm?

A

A balloon-like dilation of the thoracic aorta

117
Q

What is a thoracic aneurysm due to?

A

weakness in the aortic wall

118
Q

What is a thoracic aneurysm classically seen in?

A

tertiary syphilis; endarteritis of the vasa vasorum

119
Q

What does endarteritis of the vasa vasorum result in?

A

luminal narrowing, decreased flow, and atrophy of the vessel wall. Results in a tree-bark appearance of the aorta

120
Q

What is the major complication for a thoracic aneurysm?

A

dilation of the aortic valve root, resulting in aortic valve insufficiency

121
Q

What are some other (besides the major) complications of thoracic aneurysm?

A

compression of mediastinal structures (e.g., airway or esophagus) and thrombosis/embolism.

122
Q

What is a abdominal aortic aneurysm?

A

Balloon-like dilation of the abdominal aorta

123
Q

Where does abdominal aortic aneurysm usually arise?

A

below the renal arteries, but above the aortic bifurcation

124
Q

What is abdominal aortic aneurysm primarily due to?

A

Atherosclerosis

125
Q

In whom is abdominal aortic aneurysm classically seen?

A

in male smokers > 60 years old with hypertension

126
Q

How does atherosclerosis lead to abdominal aortic aneurysm?

A

It increases the diffusion barrier to the media, resulting in atrophy and weakness of the vessel wall.

127
Q

What does abdominal aortic aneurysm presents as?

A

a pulsatile abdominal mass that grows with time

128
Q

What is the major complication for abdominal aortic aneurysm?

A

rupture, especially when > 5 cm in diameter

129
Q

What does abdominal aortic aneurysm present with?

A

triad of hypotension, pulsatile abdominal mass, and flank pain

130
Q

What are the other complications (aside from the major one)?

A

compression of local structures (e.g., ureter) and thrombosis/embolism.

131
Q

What are the vasculartumors?

A

Hemangioma, angiosarcoma, Kaposi sarcoma

132
Q

What is hemangioma?

A

It’s a benign tumor comprised of blood vessels

133
Q

How does hemangioma commonly present?

A

at birth and often regresses during childhood

134
Q

What does hemangioma most often involve?

A

skin and liver

135
Q

What is angiosarcoma?

A

Malignant proliferation of endothelial cells; highly aggressive

136
Q

What are the common sites for angiosarcoma?

A

They include skin, breast, and liver.

137
Q

What is Liver angiosarcoma associated with?

A

exposure to polyvinyl chloride, arsenic, and Thorotrast.

138
Q

What is Kaposi sarcoma?

A

Low-grade malignant proliferation of endothelial cells; associated with HHV-8

139
Q

What does Kaposi sarcoma present as?

A

purple patches, plaques, and nodules on the skin, may also involve visceral organs

140
Q

Kaposi sarcoma is classically seen in?

A

Older Eastern European males, AIDS and Transplant recipients

141
Q

For Kaposi sarcoma in older Eastern European males, where is the tumor localized?

A

remains localized to skin

142
Q

For Kaposi sarcoma in older Eastern European males, what does the treatment involve?

A

surgical removal

143
Q

What is seen with Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS patients?

A

tumor spreads early

144
Q

In Kaposi sarcoma in AIDS patients what is the treatment?

A

antiretroviral agents (to boost immune system)

145
Q

What is seen with Kaposi sarcoma in transplant recipients?

A

tumor spreads early;

146
Q

For Kaposi sarcoma in transplant recipients what is the treatment?

A

treatment involves decreasing immunosuppression