Vasculitis—Eosinophilic Disorders

Also called: Eosinophilia

Eosinophils are a type of white blood cell. They help fight off infections and play a role in your body’s immune response. They can also build up and cause inflammation.

Normally your blood doesn’t have a large number of eosinophils. Your body may produce more of them in response to

• Allergic disorders
• Skin conditions
• Parasitic and fungal infections
• Autoimmune diseases
• Some cancers
• Bone marrow disorders

In some conditions, the eosinophils can move outside the bloodstream and build up in organs and tissues. Treatment of the problem depends on the cause.

• Eosinophil count – absolute (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Eosinophilic fasciitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Simple pulmonary eosinophilia (Medical Encyclopedia)

Also called: Angiitis

Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels. It happens when the body’s immune system attacks the blood vessel by mistake. It can happen because of an infection, a medicine, or another disease. The cause is often unknown.

Vasculitis can affect arteries, veins and capillaries. Arteries are vessels that carry blood from the heart to the body’s organs. Veins are the vessels that carry blood back to the heart. Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that connect the small arteries and veins.

When a blood vessel becomes inflamed, it can

• Narrow, making it more difficult for blood to get through
• Close off completely so that blood can’t get through
• Stretch and weaken so much that it bulges. The bulge is called an aneurysm. If it bursts, it can cause dangerous bleeding inside the body.

Symptoms of vasculitis can vary, but usually include fever, swelling and a general sense of feeling ill. The main goal of treatment is to stop the inflammation. Steroids and other medicines to stop inflammation are often helpful.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

• Allergic vasculitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Aortic angiography (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Cerebral angiography (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Henoch-Schonlein purpura (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Necrotizing vasculitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Polyarteritis nodosa (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Takayasu arteritis (Medical Encyclopedia)