Vasculitis Overview

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and will examine you. This may be followed by:

• Standard blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) and sedimentation rate (a test that indicates body-wide inflammation)

• Blood tests to evaluate immune-system activity - Tests for antibodies, including those typically found in lupus and infections, and one specifically associated with many types of vasculitis, called anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)

• Blood tests to check for organ damage, including tests to assess liver and kidney function

• A urinalysis to evaluate possible kidney problems

• A tissue biopsy, in which a small sample of an organ (such as skin, muscle, nerve or kidney) is removed and examined in a laboratory - This is the most accurate way to diagnose vasculitis.

• A test called an arteriogram or angiogram - An X-ray test in which dye is injected into specific blood vessels to outline their path and check for areas of vessel damage or narrowing. This test generally is done only when a biopsy cannot be done or does not provide a diagnosis.

Expected Duration

How long vasculitis lasts depends on its cause. For example, most cases of hypersensitivity vasculitis or Kawasaki disease go away on their own over a period of days or weeks. Wegener's granulomatosis may respond to treatment at first, but many patients relapse and require treatment again. Giant cell arteritis typically requires therapy for a year or more.