Leukocytoclastic vasculitis, also known as hypersensitivity angiitis, is a cutaneous, small vessel vasculitis of the dermal capillaries and venules. The predominant clinical presentation palpable purpura. Multiple medications can cause leukocytoclastic well autoimmune diseases, infections, malignancy. disease process may be limited to only skin or manifestation systemic process. Treatment cente...

Vasculitides create a local inflammatory process in the vessel wall, which determines the different organic manifestations according to vessel size and location. Imaging techniques play a key role in the characterization and detection of large and medium size vessel vasculitides. Imaging is able to detect the vessel wall edema and to monitor the therapeutic response. In small vessel vasculitis,...

1. Csernok E, Lamprecht P, Gross WL. Diagnostic significance of ANCA in vasculitis. Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol 2006;2:174–5. 2. Radice A, Sinico RA. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). Autoimmunity 2005;38:93– 103. 3. Savige J, Davies D, Falk RJ, Jennette JC, Wiik A. Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and associated diseases: a review of the clinical and laboratory features. Kidney I...

Vasculitis are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels of different caliber and sometimes fibrinoid necrosis with vessel wall destruction [1]. Vasculitis are divided into cutaneous and systemic forms, primary and secondary to hypertension, immunosuppression therapy, metabolic complications. The classification is based on the affected vessel size (Ta...

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, formerly known as Wegener's Granulomatosis) is an autoimmune small vessel vasculitis which is highly associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA). The hallmarks of this condition are systemic necrotising vasculitis, necrotising granulomatous inflammation, and necrotising glomerulonephritis. The aetiology of granulomatosis with polyangiitis...

The endothelium is the back-drop against which the effects set in train by interactions between Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasm Antibodies (ANCA) and neutrophils are played out. This review considers the mechanisms of the endothelial cell injury that may result but also questions the impact of endothelial heterogeneity and endothelial cell activation in facilitation of vasculitic lesions, as well as ...

Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic disease caused by inhalation of conidia of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, a dimorphic fungus that initially affects the airway, spreading by lymphatic and hematogenous routes to various organs and systems, and that can be fatal if the diagnosis and treatment are not correct. The authors describe a patient who presents small vessel vasculitis as an initial ma...

Bartonella can cause a damaging endocarditis and patients typically need valve replacement. Infective endocarditis (IE) and small vessel vasculitis (SVV) can have similar clinical features and the presence of ANCA can be misleading and it is critical to differentiate between IE and SVV since their treatment are vastly different.