POLYARTERITIS NODOSA

Course overview

POLYARTERITIS NODOSA (PAN) IS A SYSTEMIC NECROTIZING VASCULITIS FIRST DESCRIBED IN 1866 BY ADOLPH KUSSMAUL AND RUDOLPH MAIER. IT TYPICALLY AFFECTS MEDIUM-SIZED ARTERIAL VESSELS BUT MAY AFFECT SMALL-SIZED ARTERIAL VESSELS. UNLIKE OTHER SMALL-SIZED ARTERIAL VESSEL VASCULITIDES, POLYARTERITIS NODOSA IS NOT TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH ANTI-NEUTROPHIL CYTOPLASMIC ANTIBODIES (ANCA). IT IS A SYSTEMIC DISEASE PROCESS THOUGH THERE IS A LIMITED FORM OF THE DISEASE CALLED CUTANEOUS POLYARTERITIS NODOSA (CPAN). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF POLYARTERITIS NODOSA AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT