Types of size dependent vasculitis

Q: Behçet syndrome is a? (select one)

A) Large-vessel vasculitis

B) Medium-vessel vasculitis

C) Small-vessel vasculitis

D) Variable-vessel vasculitis 

Answer: D

This question aims to highlight that many vasculitis conditions can't be specified as large, medium, or small. Some vasculitis diseases can involve varying-sized vessels, and no specific-sized arteries are predominantly affected. The prime examples are Behçet syndrome and Cogan syndrome.

A few major vasculitis conditions are mentioned below:

Large-vessel vasculitis 

• Giant cell arteritis 
• Takayasu arteritis 

Medium-vessel vasculitis 

• Polyarteritis nodosa
• Kawasaki disease

Small-vessel vasculitis 

• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis 
• Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss) 
• IgA vasculitis (Henoch-Schönlein purpura
• Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis 
• Anti-GBM (Goodpasture) disease 
• Rheumatoid vasculitis 

#Rheumatology

References:

1. Shavit E, Alavi A, Sibbald RG. Vasculitis-What Do We Have to Know? A Review of Literature. Int J Low Extrem Wounds. 2018 Dec;17(4):218-226. doi: 10.1177/1534734618804982. Epub 2018 Dec 3. PMID: 30501545.

2. Younger DS. Overview of the Vasculitides. Neurol Clin. 2019 May;37(2):171-200. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2019.01.005. PMID: 30952404.

3. Demir S, Sönmez HE, Özen S. Vasculitis: Decade in Review. Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2019;15(1):14-22. doi: 10.2174/1573397114666180726093731. PMID: 30047330.