Vascular Path Flashcards
What are the three layers of vessels, from inside to out?
Intima
Media
Adventitia
What layer of vessels houses the muscular layer?
Media
True or false: most cases of vasculitis are infectious in origin
False–usually idiopathic
What are the clinical features of vasculitis?
- Nonspecific ssx of inflammation
- Symptoms of organ ischemia
How do the ssx of organ ischemia arise in the setting of vasculitis? (2 ways)
Thrombosis at the site of BM/collagen exposure
Fibrosis secondary to healing narrows the lumen
What vessels do the large vessel vasculitides affect?
Vasculitis involving the aorta or its major branches
What is temporal (giant cell) arteritis?
Vasculitis of the branches of the carotid artery (usually temporal artery)
Who usually gets temporal arteritis?
Usually females over the age of 50
What are the ssx of temporal (giant cell) arteritis?
- HA
- Visual disturbances
- jaw claudication
- Polymyalgia rheumatica
What labs are classically elevated in temporal arteritis?
- ESR (usually greater than 100)
- CRP
- Platelets
What are the histological characteristics of giant cell vasculitis?
Inflamed vessel wall with giant cells, intimal fibrosis, and granulomatous vasculitis
Why do you need to take a large biopsy of an artery if you suspect temporal (giant cell) arteritis? Can this biopsy exclude the disease?
Can affect isolated parts of the artery, thus a single biopsy will not exclude the disease
What is the treatment for temporal (giant cell) arteritis? What is the major sequelae of this if left untreated?
Corticosteroid to reduce inflammation
High risk of blindness d/t ophthalmic artery involvement
True or false: if you suspect temporal (giant cell) arteritis, you should treat immediately, even without confirmation
True
What is Takayasu arteritis? Where in the large arteries does it usually occur? In whom does it usually present?
Granulomatous vasculitis similar to temporal arteritis, but involving vessels at the branch points of the aortic arch
Classically presents in asian females younger than 50 yo
What are the ssx of Takayasu arteritis? (2)
- Visual and neurological ssx
- Weak or absent pulse in an UE (“pulseless disease”)
What lab is classically elevated in Takayasu arteritis?
ESR
What is the treatment for Takayasu arteritis?
Corticosteroids
What are the major differences between temporal arteritis and Takayasu arteritis?
Temporal arteritis usually affects branches of the carotid artery, whereas Takayasu’s is aortic branches
Which vessels are affected in medium-vessel vasculitis?
Muscular arteries that supply the organs
What is polyarteritis nodosa? What organ is spared?
necrotizing vasculitis that can affect a variety of vessels/organs, but
-spares the lungs
Who usually gets polyarteritis nodosa? S/sx?
- Young adults
- Ssx depends on organ/vessel involvement, but spares the lungs
What serum marker is usually elevated in polyarteritis nodosa?
HBsAg
What are the histological characteristics of polyarteritis nodosa? Imaging finding?
Transmural fibrinoid necrosis that heals, resulting in nodes of fibrous tissue
“string-of-pearls” appearance on imaging