What Causes Acute Urticaria?
Discussion
Urticaria or hives is a systemic disease with cutaneous results. An agent triggers a histamine reaction with cutaneous pruritic lesions being the result. Urticaria usually has intact, erythematous lesions with a papular component that is usually paler in color. Lesions are of various sizes and wax and wane. The lesions may coalesce and blanch with pressure. Scratches and excoriations may be seen. Bullae can be seen in certain circumstances.
Evaluation for systemic reaction is important such as hoarseness, stridor, wheezing, difficulty breathing, arrhythmias, difficulty swallowing or tingling. Acute urticaria is...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - December 2, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Patients suffering from potentially fatal forms of vasculitis could benefit from first ever licensed treatment, UK
MabThera (rituximab) is now licensed as the first and only treatment for two potentially life-threatening auto-immune diseases, GPA and MPA, which result in the inflammation and damage of small blood vessels and frequently involve multiple organs. The two diseases affect over 13,000 people in the UK and are characterised by the decaying inflammation of specific areas of tissue in the body that, if not treated, can lead to organ damage, organ failure and even death... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - August 15, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Immune System / Vaccines Source Type: news
Predicting Future Flares in VasculitisPredicting Future Flares in Vasculitis
Can biomarkers be used to assess disease activity in ANCA vasculitis? Medscape Rheumatology (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - August 13, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Rheumatology Viewpoint Source Type: news
What is the Criteria for Diagnosing Beçhet’s disease?
Discussion
Beçhet’s disease (BD) is a multisystem vasculitis named for the Turkish dermatologist, Hulusi Beçhet. It has a prevalance in one study of 5.2-7.1 per 100,000 adults. It is more common in males than females but it depends on the cohort studied and there is variation among different ancestral groups.
Venous vasculitis usually causes thrombotic events whereas arterial vasculitis causes aneurysms and thrombosis. Involvement of the central nervous system vasculature can be a major problem. Central venous thrombosis can cause isolated intracranial hypertension but also aphasia, hemiparesis and sei...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - August 12, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Authors: Donna M. D'Alessandro, M.D. Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news
Rituximab therapy for severe vasculitis shows long-term effectiveness
Administering the drug rituximab once weekly for one month provides the same benefits as 18 months of daily immunosuppressive therapy in people with severe forms of vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels, a study has found. Researchers from the Immune Tolerance Network (ITN), an international clinical trials group funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), found that rituximab is as effective as the standard therapy at inducing and maintaining disease remission... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - August 2, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Vascular Source Type: news
Therapy for Severe Vasculitis Shows Long-Term Effectiveness
Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases -
Related MedlinePlus Page: Vasculitis (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)
Source: MedlinePlus Health News - August 1, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
Rituxan Helps in Vasculitis Over Long Term (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) -- A single course of treatment with rituximab (Rituxan) was as effective over 18 months as conventional immunosuppression among patients with severe organ- or life-threatening vasculitis, a randomized noninferiority trial found. (Source: MedPage Today Rheumatology)
Source: MedPage Today Rheumatology - August 1, 2013 Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news
Short-Term Rituximab Treatment Effective Against ANCA VasculitisShort-Term Rituximab Treatment Effective Against ANCA Vasculitis
Four weeks of treatment with rituximab is as effective as 18 months of therapy with cyclophosphamide and azathioprine for people with severe antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines - July 31, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Rheumatology News Source Type: news
Therapy for severe vasculitis shows long-term effectiveness
(NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) Administering the drug rituximab once weekly for one month provides the same benefits as 18 months of daily immunosuppressive therapy in people with severe forms of vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels, a study has found. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - July 31, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Source Type: news
Can levamisole-contaminated cocaine cause pulmonary hypertension?
This article is valuable in alerting clinicians cocaine users may be at risk for the condition. I expect future studies will determine just how much aminorex is produced from exposure to typical amounts of contaminated cocaine.
Remember, there are two known conditions that can be caused by levamisole-tainted cocaine: agraulocytosis and necrotizing vasculitis.
Tip o’ the hat to Dr. Jerry Hoffman, who alerted me to this possible connection. I had not heard of it before.
Related posts:
Cocaine-associated hyponatremia: is levamisole the culprit?
Levamisole-adulterated cocaine: an excellent review
Cocaine, levamisole, and...
Source: The Poison Review - May 30, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical aminorex cocaine levamisole pulmonary hypertension Source Type: news
Rituximab Works in ANCA-Linked Vasculitis (CME/CE)
WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- Rituximab given as adjunctive therapy to children with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis dramatically lowered the dosage of cyclophosphamide needed for treatment, researchers said here. (Source: MedPage Today Pediatrics)
Source: MedPage Today Pediatrics - May 5, 2013 Category: Pediatrics Source Type: news
Steroids, Relapse Predict Damage from Vasculitis (CME/CE)
(MedPage Today) -- BIRMINGHAM, England -- Patients with systemic vasculitis who require steroids for long periods or who have multiple relapses are likely to have extensive, irreversible organ damage, a researcher said here. (Source: MedPage Today Primary Care)
Source: MedPage Today Primary Care - April 27, 2013 Category: Primary Care Source Type: news
Anxiety UK assists the launch of first online patient support centre for Vasculitis sufferers
Anxiety UK has been commissioned to assist with the first online patient support centre for Vasculitis sufferers following months of work by the Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation (LCTF). The charity was set up two years ago by Adrienne and Grant Currie following the death of their daughter Lauren from Vasculitis. The new patient support centre [...] (Source: ANXIETY UK News)
Source: ANXIETY UK News - April 12, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news
GlaxoSmithKline announces start of phase III study of Benlysta® (belimumab ) in patients with vasculitis
GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) today announced the start of a Phase III study to evaluate Benlysta® (belimumab) in patients with ANCA (Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies) positive vasculitis – a condition that involves inflammation of the blood vessels. (Source: GSK news)
Source: GSK news - April 3, 2013 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news
LCTF and Anxiety UK live webinar will discuss anxiety with Vasculitis
The Lauren Currie Twilight Foundation (LCTF) and Anxiety UK will host a live webinar presented by Paul Murricane, the former BAFTA nominated producer for Dispatches and Equinox documentaries, at 2.30pm on Tuesday 9th April 2013. The webinar will also feature guest speakers Andrew Johnson, who produces relaxation and sleep support CD therapies for the NHS [...] (Source: ANXIETY UK News)
Source: ANXIETY UK News - March 19, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news
