Wegener’s disease

Wegener’s disease, also called Wegener’s granulomatosis, is a rare disorder that causes blood vessels to become inflamed, thus limiting blood flow to various organs.< /p>

The disease often also affects the kidneys, lungs and upper respiratory tract. Limited blood flow to these organs can potentially damage them.

Wegener’s granulomatosis can also affect other organs, but this happens often and generally does not cause serious functional disorders.

The disease is characterized by the production of a type of inflammatory tissue known as a granuloma, which is found around blood vessels.

Granulomas can destroy normal tissue. The cause of the disease is unknown.

Early detection of the disease and timely initiation of treatment can lead to full recovery.

But without treatment, the clinical condition can be fatal, most often due to kidney failure.

What are the symptoms?

Clinical manifestations of the disease can appear suddenly or over several months.

Symptoms initially appear in areas of the respiratory tract, such as the sinuses, throat or lungs.

But usually the affected person’s condition deteriorates rapidly and the disease affects the blood vessels and the organs they supply oxygen and nutrients to, such as the kidneys.

Clinical manifestations can be expressed in:

• Constant runny nose with discharge of purulent secretions;
• Bleeding from the nose;
• Painful sensations and inflammation of the sinuses;
• Ear infections;
• Cough;
• Chest pains;
• Haemoptysis/;
• Shortness of breath;
• General malaise;
• Causeless loss of body mass;
• Joint pain and swelling;
• Blood in the urine /hematuria/;
• Skin sores;
• Eye redness, burning or pain;
• Fever;

In some people, the disease is limited to the lungs and does not affect the kidneys.

Kidney damage usually does not cause symptoms in the initial stages of the disease and can only be suspected by the presence of blood in the urine /hematuria/.

However, kidney failure and anemia develop during these initial phases.

When should you seek medical attention?

Seek medical attention if your nose is persistent and does not respond to standard over-the-counter medications.

Especially if the runny nose is accompanied by bleeding from the nostrils or pus-like discharge, hemoptysis or other possible manifestations of the disease.

Since the disease can progress very quickly, early diagnosis is crucial in terms of treatment effectiveness.

What are the causes?

Although the cause of the disease is unknown, it is thought to develop from a previous inflammation that triggered an abnormal immune system response.< /p>

Some scientists believe that a certain infection may trigger the development of the disease, although there is no concrete evidence for this.

Treatment of Wegener’s disease

If the disease is detected in time and with appropriate treatment, the affected person recovers after about a few months.

It is often necessary to continue maintenance therapy for about 18-24 months after the end of the main one.

In some cases, longer treatment may be necessary. Since the disease may recur, close monitoring of the patient’s condition after discontinuation of treatment is recommended.

Medications

• Corticosteroids – drugs such as prednisone help to suppress the immune system, thus achieving control of the early clinical manifestations of the disease;

• Immune-suppressing drugs – most people are prescribed drugs from this group, such as cyclophosphamide, azathioprine or methotrexate, to suppress the patient’s body’s immune response.