How can i treat vasculitis?

Treatment depends entirely upon diagnosis and the affected organs. When vasculitis is the result of an allergic reaction, it may go away on its own and not require treatment. In other instances, when critical organs such as the lungs, brain or kidneys are involved, aggressive and timely treatment is necessary.

Treatment generally consists of corticosteroid medications ("steroids"). Chemotherapeutic drugs (such as those used to treat cancer) are also used, but in doses considerably lower than people with cancer may receive. The goal of this type of chemotherapy is to suppress the abnormal immune response that has led to blood vessel damage.

In medicine, vasculitis (plural: vasculitides) is a group of diseases featuring inflammation of the wall of blood vessels due to leukocyte migration and resultant damage. While most vasculitides are rare, they generally affect several organ systems and can cause severe disability.

A detailed history is important to elicit any recent medications, any risk of hepatitis infection, or any recent diagnosis with a connective tissue disorder such as SLE. A thorough physical exam is needed as usual.

Lab tests. Basic lab tests may include a CBC, chem-7 (look for creatinine), muscle enzyme, liver function tests, ESR, hepatitis seroloties, urinalysis, CXR, and EKG. Additional, more specific tests include:
Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test can detect an underlying connective tissue disorder, especially SLE
Complement levels that are low can suggest mixed cryoglobulinemia, hepatitis C infection, and SLE, but not most other vasculitides.
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) may highly suggest Wegener's granulomatosis, polyarteritis nodosa, Churg-Strauss syndrome, or drug-induced vasculitis, but is not diagnostic.
Electromyography. It is useful if a systemic vasculitis is suspected and neuromuscular symptoms are present.
Arteriography. Arteriograms are helpful in vasculitis affecting the large and medium vessels but not helpful in small vessel vasculitis. Angiograms of mesenteri or renal arteries in polyarteritis nodosa may show aneurysms, occlusions, and vascular wall abnormalities. Arteriography are not diagnostic in itself if other accessible areas for biopsy are present. However, in Takayasu's arteritis, where the aorta may be involved, it is unlikely a biopsy will be successful and angiography can be diagnostic.
Tissue biopsy. This is the gold standard of diagnosis when biopsy is taken from the most involved area.

Treatment is targeted to the underlying cause. However, most vasculitis in general are treated with steroids (e.g. methylprednisolone) because the underlying cause of the vasculitis is due to hyperactive immunological damage. Immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide and azathioprine may also be given.