Systemic Vasculitis
- What it is
Systemic vasculitis is a group of rare autoimmune disorders characterised by inflammation of blood vessels. It can damage blood vessels and keep them from carrying blood to body parts that need it.
There are many types of systemic vasculitis, which can affect many different parts of the body. It can range from mild to severe, or even life-threatening. Some examples include:
- Takayasu arteritis
- Giant cell arteritis
- Polyarteritis nodosa
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- Microscopic angiitis
- Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis
- Henoch-Schönlein pupura
- Behçet’s disease
Vasculitis can also happen in people with another disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus.
