Spectrum of secondary vasculitis seen at tertiary care hospital

Marwaha V; N Chawla; V Hande; Singhal A

Volume : VI, Issue : XII, December - 2016

Spectrum of secondary vasculitis seen at tertiary care hospital

Marwaha V, N Chawla, V Hande, Singhal A

Abstract :

Objective: To evaluate the patterns and clinical characteristics of secondary vasculitis. Methods: An observational cross–sectional study was conducted at Command Hospital, Chandigarh and at INHS ASVINI, Mumbai Patients who were suspected to have vasculitis were enrolled in to study from September 2013 to August 2014. Results: Thirty–seven cases of secondary vasculitis were studied. The average age of patients was 45 years and majority of the study population was women. Causes of secondary vasculitis in our study were: (a) Infections (29.7% [11/37]; hepatitis C infection with cryoglobulinemia [n=1], human immunodeficiency virus [n=1], Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection [n=5], fungal infection [n=1] and bacterial infections [n=3]) (b) rheumatoid arthritis (0.8% [03/37]), (c) malignancy (13.5% [05/37]; colon carcinoma [n=1], cervical carcinoma [n=2], and non–Hodgkin‘s lymphoma [n=3]), (d) lupus in 32.4 % [12/ 37] and (e) drugs (10.8% [04/37]). Skin was the predominant organ affected by vasculitis (64.9%). Musculoskeletal system (45.9%), eyes (10.8%), neurological (2.8%) and kidneys (32.4%) were other organs that were frequently involved in vasculitis in our patients. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that secondary vasculitis is a common finding and most often associated with infection. Skin is the commonest organ to be involved in secondary vasculitis. Histological or radiological proof of vasculitis is warranted, and where possible, the specific type of vasculitis should be identified.