LEUKOCYTOCLASTIC VASCULITIS

Course overview

LEUKOCYTOCLASTIC VASCULITIS IS A CUTANEOUS, SMALL-VESSEL VASCULITIS OF THE DERMAL CAPILLARIES AND VENULES. THIS CONDITION CAN BE IDIOPATHIC OR CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH INFECTIONS, NEOPLASMS, AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS, AND DRUGS. KEY CLINICAL FEATURES OF LEUKOCYTOCLASTIC VASCULITIS INCLUDE PALPABLE PURPURA ON THE LOWER EXTREMITY, SMALL VESSEL INVOLVEMENT, AND, IN ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF INDIVIDUALS, EXTRACUTANEOUS INVOLVEMENT. MOST CASES OF IDIOPATHIC CUTANEOUS, SMALL VESSEL VASCULITIS ARE SELF-LIMITED WITH 90 PERCENT OF CASES RESOLVING IN WEEKS TO MONTHS OF ONSET. OTHERWISE, TREATMENT DEPENDS ON THE SEVERITY OF DISEASE AND CAN RANGE FROM AN ORAL CORTICOSTEROID TAPER TO VARIOUS STEROID-SPARING IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE AGENTS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF LEUKOCYTOCLASTIC VASCULITIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.