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Medical Author:

Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH

Siamak T. Nabili, MD, MPH

Dr. Nabili received his undergraduate degree from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. He then completed his graduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His graduate training included a specialized fellowship in public health where his research focused on environmental health and health-care delivery and management.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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The signs and symptoms of vasculitis can be very vague, generalized, and non-specific. This is because of the complexity and variability of the different types of vasculitic diseases. It is also important to realize that vasculitis, as a whole, is a rare condition compared to other common conditions that may also cause similar signs and symptoms.

It may be safe to say that most of the signs and symptoms related to vasculitis are caused because the inflammation of the blood vessels results in impaired or complete lack of blood flow to the specific organ(s) supplied by the affected blood vessels. For example:

• CNS vasculitis may cause headaches, confusion, or focal neurologic problems.
  
  
• Churg-Strauss vasculitis can have symptoms similar to asthma because of its involvement of the lungs.
  
  
• Henoch-Schonlein purpura can present as purpura (small raised purple areas under the skin due to hemorrhage), abdominal pain or nausea and vomiting, joint pain, or blood in the urine (hematuria) because of its systemic involvement.
  
  
• Temporal arteritis may present as a headache and tender, thick blood vessels on the side of the forehead.
  
  
• Cutaneous vasculitis may cause purpura, urticaria (hives), or ulcers of the skin.

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