Vasculitis Facts
Vasculitis is a rare inflammatory disease which affects about 2-3000 new people each year in the UK.
Vasculitis UK – The Facts, last accessed: 07/05/24.
Vasculitis means inflammation of the blood vessels. Any vessels in any part of the body can be affected.
Vasculitis is an aggressive autoimmune disease where your white blood cells attack the small veins and arteries in a person’s eyes, nose, lungs and kidneys. The exact cause is unknown but a person is at higher risk of getting vasculitis if they have other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes.
There are different types of vasculitis including:
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA), previously known as Wegener’s Granulomatosis,
- Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA)
- Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA), previously known as Churg-Strauss syndrome.
My ENT Consultant has referred me to a Vasculitis Specialist urgently as she is 99% sure that this is what I’ve got. I remember reading somewhere online that with one type of vasculitis the average life expectancy is 20 years from diagnosis. I’m 37 years old, which would mean my average life expectancy would be 57 years old if I have that type. Unfortunately I don’t know what type of vasculitis Doctors think I’ve got and the diagnosis isn’t yet confirmed.
Hope to have answers soon,
Antony
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