Definition:
Wegener's granulomatosis is a form of the vasculitis disorder that primarily affects the lungs, kidneys and other organs. Because it mainly affect the organs, it requires a long term immune suppression (Seo P, Stone JH. The antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitides. Am J Med 2004;117:39-50).
Diagnosis:
Diagnosis includes blood tests, urine tests for the effect of the disease to the kidneys, biopsy and chest x-ray.
Treatment:
Treatment includes administration of corticosteroid especially during the early signs of the disease. Prednisone which is a corticosteroid may be used. Immunosuppresive drug like yclophosphamide like Cytoxan, Imuran which is a azathioprine or Rheumatrex which is methotrexate may be used if the corticosteroid is not enough.
Symptoms and Signs:
Its signs and symptoms includes initial signs like protean and presence of Rhinitis and includes the pain in the nose, nosebleeds due to a perforated septum, conductive hearing loss due to auditory tube dysfunction and scleris and conjuctivitis in the eyes. Coin lesions in the lungs and cavitary lesions includign pulmonary hemerrhage causing hemoptysis are also noted.
Causes:
Wegener's granulomatosis origin is not that known but it is said to be caused by an infectious agent. Also, it is said that it is a result of an overactive immune system response to an allergic reaction.
