WEGNER’S GRANULOMATOSIS WITH POLYANGIITIS: CAUSES AND PREVENTION

Wegner's granulomatosis is known to be a rare type of disease, which leads to inflammation in the arteries, capillaries, and veins of respiratory system and kidneys, and can affect lungs, nose, sinuses, and trachea. This can also lead to organ failure as inflammation in blood vessels (Polyangiitis) cuts down the blood supply to vital organs in the body. Granulomatosis results from an immune reaction from an antigen, which is unknown that leads to inflamed blood vessels.No definite cause is yet known for this disease. Still, here we have highlighted few important points on the disease, which you should know. CAUSES Well, the exact causes of the disease are still not fully known. But some of them are listed here

• Stress and infection may be the precipitating ones, but not a definite cause behind it
• Another cause is immune system cells targeting blood vessel cells, but no theory accepted yet. This may lead to inflamed and constricted blood vessels, which in result leads to granulomas, which are harmful as they can destroy normal tissue.

SYMPTOMS

• Fatigue & breathlessness
• Unexplained weight loss
• Recurrent fever & persistent cough
• Numbness in limbs, fingers or toes
• Bruising
• Painful joints and muscles
• A chronic runny nose
• Sinusitis (sinus inflammation, blockage, and pain)
• Traces of blood in nasal mucus, urine
• Ear infections

PREVENTION OF DISEASE It is a very uncommon and deadly disease. No known prevention of the disease has been found out. There are hardly 2-3 patients who suffer from this disease and it does not involve treatment with only one specialist since it affects many organs. Whichever organ is the most affected one, the patient is advised to that particular specialist. It is suggested that people who suffer from continuous above-mentioned symptoms, should undergo ANCA test and biopsy to rule out the disease. The symptoms depend on which organ is damaged. In severe cases, the patient may develop kidney failure or even bleed from the lungs.