Index
Definition:
Polyarteritis Nodosa is a rare disease caused by the inflammation of small blood vessels in the body. Changes in blood vessels appear gradually with the supply of oxygen-scarce blood to the tissues, affecting the skin and internal organs such as the kidneys, intestines, and heart. The disease occurs most often in men between 20 to 60 years of age, and the cause is unknown.
symptom
- General malaise with fatigue, headache, and fever.
- Muscle pain.
- Abdominal pain and weight loss.
- Injuries or sores
- Nodules
- Gangrene
- Eruptions
- The symptoms in the eyes may consist of:
- Eye pain
- Blurry vision
- The signs in the nerves are composed of:
- Tingle
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Pain in the extremities
- Numbness
- Injuries to the Central Nervous System
- Lethargy
The skin changes are observed relatively often shaped red rash due to lack of blood supply.
Precautions and Diagnosis
Through several blood tests can be determined:
- Evidence of a high level of inflammation in the body
- It can be determined if the kidneys are affected or not.
- A biopsy is necessary to perform to have a definitive diagnosis.
Treatment of Polyarteritis Nodosa
The active phases of the disease can be managed with corticosteroids such as prednisolone which inhibit inflammatory disease.
Immunosuppressive drugs: cyclophosphamide and azathioprine.
Prognosis and complications
Noosa polyarteritis is usually a single acute process, and most deaths occur within the first 1-2 years of the disease. Without treatment, the prognosis is poor, but considering the previous treatment, the prognosis is quite favorable.
Serious complications can include heart failure, intestinal perforation (orifice in the intestine), or bleeding. These complications are also the most frequent causes of death due to the disease.
