Churg Strauss is a rare, small-vessel vasculitis of unknown aetiology
The triad for diagnosis is:
- Asthma
- Eosinophilia
- Vasculitis of 2 or more extrapulmonary organs
The asthma is often late onset.
The vasculitis of Churg Strauss
- Most commonly affects the lungs
- Causes mononeuritis multiplex in up to 75% of patients
- Affects the skin (causing vasculitic purpura, nodules or livedo reticularis) in around 60%
- Glomerulonephritis (focal and segmental) occurs in up to 47% of patients but renal failure is rare
Associations of Churg Strauss include
- Nasal polyps
- Sinusitis
- Allergic rhinitis
- Abdominal pain
ANCA is positive in around a third of patients, most commonly pANCA
Treatment is with high-dose steroids.
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