Polyarteritis Nodosa
Dr.Bhargav kiran
General Medicine Post Graduate
Classic polyarteritis nodosa
It is a systemic vasculitis characterized by necrotizing
inflammatory lesions that affect medium-sized and
small muscular arteries.
Preferentially at vessel bifurcations, resulting in
microaneurysm formation, aneurysmal rupture with
hemorrhage, thrombosis, and, consequently, organ
ischemia or infarction.
History
Kussmaul and Maier first described PAN in 1866. The
autopsy of a patient with fever, weight loss,
abdominal pain, and polyneuropathy revealed areas
of focal inflammatory exudations that gave rise to
palpable nodules along the course of medium-sized
arteries
Epidemiology
 Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare disease
 with an incidence of about 3-4.5 cases per 100,000 population annually
 Sex- and age-related demographics
 PAN affects men more frequently than women (male-to-female ratio 1.6-2:1).
 it is predominantly observed in individuals aged approximately 45-65 years.
Pathophysiology
 Vascular lesions in medium-sized muscular arteries occur mainly at
bifurcations and branch points.
 Inflammation may start in the vessel intima and progress to include
the entire arterial wall, destroying the internal and external elastic
lamina, resulting in fibrinoid necrosis.
 Aneurysms develop in the weakened vessel, carrying a subsequent risk
for rupture and hemorrhage.
 Thrombi may develop at the site of the lesions
 As lesions progress, proliferation of the intima or media may result in
obstruction and subsequent tissue ischemia or infarction.
 It spares large vessels (the aorta and its major branches), the smallest
vessels (capillaries and small arterioles), and the venous system.
Etiology
Hepatitis B and PAN
 The pathogenesis of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is unknown,
 Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is strongly linked with PAN. Evidence for immune
complex–induced disease is confined to HBV-related PAN; the role of immune
complexes in non-HBV-related PAN remains unclear.
 Impaired function of endothelial cells may be part of idiopathic PAN or a consequence
of it; in HBV-PAN, virus replication may directly injure the vessel wall.
 Endothelial dysfunction can perpetuate the inflammation through cytokine and
adhesion molecule production.
 HBV was once the cause of up to 30% of PAN cases.
 Widespread use of the hepatitis B vaccine has significantly decreased the incidence of HBV-
PAN, which is now estimated to account for less than 8% of all PAN cases
Genetic associations
 Loss-of-function mutations in CECR1, the gene that encodes
adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2), have been associated with a
spectrum of vascular and inflammatory phenotypes that
includes polyarteritis nodosa
 Possible roles of ADA2 include regulation of the proliferation
of activated T cells and macrophages and the differentiation
of monocytes to macrophages. Reduction in ADA2
activity may affect the adenosine inflammatory-response
pathway
Polyarteritis Nodosa
 Association with Hepatitis B (surface
antigen)
 Classic PAN
is NOT associated with ANCA ANCA
OTHER
 the potential association of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with PAN.
 INFECTIOUS organisms include varicella-zoster virus,
 parvovirus B-19,
 cytomegalovirus,
 human T-cell leukemia virus,
 Streptococcal
species, Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas species, Yersinia species, Toxoplasma
gondii, Rickettsiae, trichinosis, and sarcosporidiosis
 Recently, reports of associations with PAN and human immunodeficiency virus and
cutaneous PAN and tuberculosised to cutaneous PAN, a benign, limited form of PAN
 Rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren syndrome have been associated with PAN.
 Hematologic malignancies, such as hairy cell leukemia and, in one case,
angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma, have been associated with PAN-like vasculitides
CLINICAL FEAUTURES
 Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is an acute multisystem disease with a relatively short prodrome (ie,
weeks to months).
 The spectrum of disease ranges from single-organ involvement to fulminant polyvisceral failure.
Pertinent and common historical features of PAN include the following:
Constitutional and musculoskeletal symptoms of PAN include the following:
 Fever
 Malaise
 Fatigue
 Anorexia and weight loss
 Myalgia
 Arthralgia in large joints or, less commonly, arthritis
Renal symptoms
 About 60% of patients with PAN have renal involvement.
 Flank pain may be present.
 Ischemic changes in the glomeruli and renal artery vasculitis can cause renal failure,
hypertension, or both.
 A small percentage of patients may require dialysis.
Renal symptoms include the following:
 Hypertension
 Costophrenic tenderness
 Retroperitoneal or intraperitoneal hemorrhage
 Renal failure
Cutaneous symptoms
Dermatologic symptoms are very common in PAN, and about 40% of patients
manifest with skin lesions including
 rash,
 Purpura
 Gangrene
 Nodules
 cutaneous infarcts
 livido reticularis
 Raynaud phenomenon.
 Skin involvement, which can be painful, occurs most frequently on the legs
Cutaneous symptoms in PAN include the
following
 Livedo reticularis that does not blanch with active pressure
 Ulcerations - Especially on the lower extremities, near the malleoli and on the calf
 Digital ischemia - May be accompanied by splinter hemorrhages and, sometimes,
gangrene
 Nodules - Usually on the lower extremities (like ulcers); nodules are the least
common skin manifestation of PAN
Central nervous system symptoms
 Transient symptoms of cerebral ischemia, including typical spells of transient monocular
blindness, are the most common presenting CNS deficits of PAN.
 Cerebral arteritis usually presents late in the course of the disease, usually in the second to
third year of the vasculitis.
 Cerebral arteritis may cause arterial thrombosis with cerebral ischemia or intraparenchymal
or subarachnoid hemorrhage.
 Global CNS dysfunction with encephalopathy and seizures results from metabolic
derangements secondary to multiple organ failure
 Acute or subacute myelopathy with paraparesis can occur at any cord level.
 Myelopathy may result, although rarely, from cord compression by an extramedullary
hematoma secondary to a ruptured spinal aneurysm.
Neurologic symptoms in PAN include the
following:
 Sensory and/or motor neuropathies - When these occur, they are usually
asymmetrical
 Mononeuritis multiplex (multiple mononeuropathy) - This is the successive
ischemia or infarction of "named nerves" (eg, ulnar, radial, peroneal, sural).
Although nerve involvement is initially asymmetrical, the development of additional
nerve lesions can cause the clinical picture to resemble symmetrical
polyneuropathy.
 CNS involvement - Although rare (≤10% of cases), encephalopathy, focal deficits,
strokes, seizures, and, sometimes, brain hemorrhages can occur
Peripheral nervous system symptoms
Peripheral neuropathy develops in as many as 60% of patients.
 Vasculitic neuropathy is often asymmetrical and presents as
 (1) mononeuritis multiplex
 (2) distal polyneuropathy
 (3) cutaneous neuropathy.
 It can take the form of a pure motor, pure sensory, or mixed sensorimotor
polyneuropathy.
Gastrointestinal symptoms
GI involvement usually presents as nonspecific symptoms and signs such as
 abdominal pain (which may be postprandial)
 nausea and vomiting, with or without obvious GI bleeding.
Rare and more serious complications of PAN include
 Bowel infarction and perforation
 Cholecystitis
 Hepatic infarction
 Pancreatic infarction
Less common symptoms reported in PAN
include the following:
 Genitourinary - Patients may develop pain over the testicular or ovarian area. In
rare cases, testicular infarction may occur; testicular pain is usually unilateral
 Cardiac - Chest pain, dyspnea, palpitations, pericarditis, myocardial infarction, and
congestive heart failure; cardiac disease affects 35% of patients with PAN, but most
affected patients are asymptomatic
 Ophthalmologic - Blurred vision
 Neuropsychiatric - Headache, psychosis, and depression
Cardiac symptoms include the following:
 Hypertension
 Tachycardia out of proportion to fever
 Pericardial friction rub
 Arrhythmias
 Congestive heart failure
Ophthalmologic symptoms of PAN include the following:
 Retinal vasculitis
 Retinal detachment
 Cotton-wool spots
Differential Diagnoses
 Antiphospholipid Syndrome
 Atrial Myxoma
 Cholesterol Embolism
 Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss Syndrome)
 Goodpasture Syndrome
 Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener Granulomatosis)
 Henoch-Schonlein Purpura
 Leukocytoclastic (small vessel) vasculitis
 Microscopic PolyangiitisS
Diagnosis
Laboratory findings in PAN are nonspecific but can help to establish the systemic
nature of the disease. Findings include the following:
 Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and/or C-reactive protein - These
markers may be useful in evaluating some patients for active disease but do not
correlate with activity in all patients
 Leukocytosis, normochromic anemia, or thrombocytosis
 Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitic C serologies
 Elevated creatinine level
 Mild proteinuria
 Elevated levels of liver enzymes
 Hypergammaglobulinemia - Found in 30% of patients with PAN
 Cryoglobulins, circulating immune complexes, and decreased levels of serum
complement (ie, C3, C4) may be observed in patients with HBV-related PAN but are
otherwise uncharacteristic of idiopathic PAN.
Arthritis Rheum. 1990;33:1088
ACR Criteria (3 of 10)
 Wt loss > 4 kg
 Livedo reticularis
 Testicular pain
 Myalgias, weakness or leg
tenderness
 Mononeuropathy or
polyneuropathy
 Diastolic BP > 90
  BUN or Creatinine
 Hepatitis B virus
 Arteriographic abnormality
 Biopsy of small or medium
artery containing PAN
Treatment
 Immunosuppression continues to be the standard therapy for polyarteritis nodosa
(PAN).
 Corticosteroids plus cyclophosphamide (in the case of steroid-refractory disease
or major organ involvement) can prolong survival for patients with idiopathic PAN.
 In contrast, for hepatitis B–related PAN, treatment consists of corticosteroids for
early, initial control followed by plasmapheresis and antiviral agents.
 Stronger immunosuppression using a combinations of steroids and
cyclophosphamide is typically avoided in these cases as it can enhance viral
replication
Prognosis
Idiopathic (non–HBV-related) PAN
 Traditionally, it has been taught that relapses of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) are rare in
individuals who completely recover
 Recovery from neurologic deficits due to PAN can take up to 18 months. Central
nervous system (CNS) involvement carries a worse prognosis than does peripheral nerve
involvement.
 The prognosis is markedly worse in patients with acute abdominal syndromes
characterized by extensive bowel involvement.
 Multiple perforations may be found, relapses are common, and the postoperative course is
complicated by infections and delayed healing.
The prognosis is better in patients with cutaneous PAN without systemic involvement. This disease
is benign but tends to relapse
HBV-related PAN
 Patients who seroconvert usually recover.
 Once HBV-PAN goes into remission, the risk of recurrence is very low
HCV-related PAN
 One study found that in patients with HCV-related vasculitis, HCV-PAN exhibits a
more severe clinical presentation but a higher rate of clinical remission.
Polyarteritis nodosa

Polyarteritis nodosa

  • 1.
  • 3.
    Classic polyarteritis nodosa Itis a systemic vasculitis characterized by necrotizing inflammatory lesions that affect medium-sized and small muscular arteries. Preferentially at vessel bifurcations, resulting in microaneurysm formation, aneurysmal rupture with hemorrhage, thrombosis, and, consequently, organ ischemia or infarction.
  • 4.
    History Kussmaul and Maierfirst described PAN in 1866. The autopsy of a patient with fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, and polyneuropathy revealed areas of focal inflammatory exudations that gave rise to palpable nodules along the course of medium-sized arteries
  • 5.
    Epidemiology  Polyarteritis nodosa(PAN) is a rare disease  with an incidence of about 3-4.5 cases per 100,000 population annually  Sex- and age-related demographics  PAN affects men more frequently than women (male-to-female ratio 1.6-2:1).  it is predominantly observed in individuals aged approximately 45-65 years.
  • 6.
    Pathophysiology  Vascular lesionsin medium-sized muscular arteries occur mainly at bifurcations and branch points.  Inflammation may start in the vessel intima and progress to include the entire arterial wall, destroying the internal and external elastic lamina, resulting in fibrinoid necrosis.  Aneurysms develop in the weakened vessel, carrying a subsequent risk for rupture and hemorrhage.  Thrombi may develop at the site of the lesions  As lesions progress, proliferation of the intima or media may result in obstruction and subsequent tissue ischemia or infarction.  It spares large vessels (the aorta and its major branches), the smallest vessels (capillaries and small arterioles), and the venous system.
  • 7.
    Etiology Hepatitis B andPAN  The pathogenesis of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is unknown,  Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is strongly linked with PAN. Evidence for immune complex–induced disease is confined to HBV-related PAN; the role of immune complexes in non-HBV-related PAN remains unclear.  Impaired function of endothelial cells may be part of idiopathic PAN or a consequence of it; in HBV-PAN, virus replication may directly injure the vessel wall.  Endothelial dysfunction can perpetuate the inflammation through cytokine and adhesion molecule production.  HBV was once the cause of up to 30% of PAN cases.  Widespread use of the hepatitis B vaccine has significantly decreased the incidence of HBV- PAN, which is now estimated to account for less than 8% of all PAN cases
  • 8.
    Genetic associations  Loss-of-functionmutations in CECR1, the gene that encodes adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2), have been associated with a spectrum of vascular and inflammatory phenotypes that includes polyarteritis nodosa  Possible roles of ADA2 include regulation of the proliferation of activated T cells and macrophages and the differentiation of monocytes to macrophages. Reduction in ADA2 activity may affect the adenosine inflammatory-response pathway
  • 9.
    Polyarteritis Nodosa  Associationwith Hepatitis B (surface antigen)  Classic PAN is NOT associated with ANCA ANCA
  • 10.
    OTHER  the potentialassociation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with PAN.  INFECTIOUS organisms include varicella-zoster virus,  parvovirus B-19,  cytomegalovirus,  human T-cell leukemia virus,  Streptococcal species, Klebsiella species, Pseudomonas species, Yersinia species, Toxoplasma gondii, Rickettsiae, trichinosis, and sarcosporidiosis  Recently, reports of associations with PAN and human immunodeficiency virus and cutaneous PAN and tuberculosised to cutaneous PAN, a benign, limited form of PAN  Rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren syndrome have been associated with PAN.  Hematologic malignancies, such as hairy cell leukemia and, in one case, angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma, have been associated with PAN-like vasculitides
  • 11.
    CLINICAL FEAUTURES  Polyarteritisnodosa (PAN) is an acute multisystem disease with a relatively short prodrome (ie, weeks to months).  The spectrum of disease ranges from single-organ involvement to fulminant polyvisceral failure. Pertinent and common historical features of PAN include the following: Constitutional and musculoskeletal symptoms of PAN include the following:  Fever  Malaise  Fatigue  Anorexia and weight loss  Myalgia  Arthralgia in large joints or, less commonly, arthritis
  • 12.
    Renal symptoms  About60% of patients with PAN have renal involvement.  Flank pain may be present.  Ischemic changes in the glomeruli and renal artery vasculitis can cause renal failure, hypertension, or both.  A small percentage of patients may require dialysis. Renal symptoms include the following:  Hypertension  Costophrenic tenderness  Retroperitoneal or intraperitoneal hemorrhage  Renal failure
  • 13.
    Cutaneous symptoms Dermatologic symptomsare very common in PAN, and about 40% of patients manifest with skin lesions including  rash,  Purpura  Gangrene  Nodules  cutaneous infarcts  livido reticularis  Raynaud phenomenon.  Skin involvement, which can be painful, occurs most frequently on the legs
  • 14.
    Cutaneous symptoms inPAN include the following  Livedo reticularis that does not blanch with active pressure  Ulcerations - Especially on the lower extremities, near the malleoli and on the calf  Digital ischemia - May be accompanied by splinter hemorrhages and, sometimes, gangrene  Nodules - Usually on the lower extremities (like ulcers); nodules are the least common skin manifestation of PAN
  • 15.
    Central nervous systemsymptoms  Transient symptoms of cerebral ischemia, including typical spells of transient monocular blindness, are the most common presenting CNS deficits of PAN.  Cerebral arteritis usually presents late in the course of the disease, usually in the second to third year of the vasculitis.  Cerebral arteritis may cause arterial thrombosis with cerebral ischemia or intraparenchymal or subarachnoid hemorrhage.  Global CNS dysfunction with encephalopathy and seizures results from metabolic derangements secondary to multiple organ failure  Acute or subacute myelopathy with paraparesis can occur at any cord level.  Myelopathy may result, although rarely, from cord compression by an extramedullary hematoma secondary to a ruptured spinal aneurysm.
  • 16.
    Neurologic symptoms inPAN include the following:  Sensory and/or motor neuropathies - When these occur, they are usually asymmetrical  Mononeuritis multiplex (multiple mononeuropathy) - This is the successive ischemia or infarction of "named nerves" (eg, ulnar, radial, peroneal, sural). Although nerve involvement is initially asymmetrical, the development of additional nerve lesions can cause the clinical picture to resemble symmetrical polyneuropathy.  CNS involvement - Although rare (≤10% of cases), encephalopathy, focal deficits, strokes, seizures, and, sometimes, brain hemorrhages can occur
  • 17.
    Peripheral nervous systemsymptoms Peripheral neuropathy develops in as many as 60% of patients.  Vasculitic neuropathy is often asymmetrical and presents as  (1) mononeuritis multiplex  (2) distal polyneuropathy  (3) cutaneous neuropathy.  It can take the form of a pure motor, pure sensory, or mixed sensorimotor polyneuropathy.
  • 18.
    Gastrointestinal symptoms GI involvementusually presents as nonspecific symptoms and signs such as  abdominal pain (which may be postprandial)  nausea and vomiting, with or without obvious GI bleeding. Rare and more serious complications of PAN include  Bowel infarction and perforation  Cholecystitis  Hepatic infarction  Pancreatic infarction
  • 19.
    Less common symptomsreported in PAN include the following:  Genitourinary - Patients may develop pain over the testicular or ovarian area. In rare cases, testicular infarction may occur; testicular pain is usually unilateral  Cardiac - Chest pain, dyspnea, palpitations, pericarditis, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure; cardiac disease affects 35% of patients with PAN, but most affected patients are asymptomatic  Ophthalmologic - Blurred vision  Neuropsychiatric - Headache, psychosis, and depression
  • 20.
    Cardiac symptoms includethe following:  Hypertension  Tachycardia out of proportion to fever  Pericardial friction rub  Arrhythmias  Congestive heart failure Ophthalmologic symptoms of PAN include the following:  Retinal vasculitis  Retinal detachment  Cotton-wool spots
  • 21.
    Differential Diagnoses  AntiphospholipidSyndrome  Atrial Myxoma  Cholesterol Embolism  Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Churg-Strauss Syndrome)  Goodpasture Syndrome  Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener Granulomatosis)  Henoch-Schonlein Purpura  Leukocytoclastic (small vessel) vasculitis  Microscopic PolyangiitisS
  • 22.
    Diagnosis Laboratory findings inPAN are nonspecific but can help to establish the systemic nature of the disease. Findings include the following:  Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and/or C-reactive protein - These markers may be useful in evaluating some patients for active disease but do not correlate with activity in all patients  Leukocytosis, normochromic anemia, or thrombocytosis  Hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitic C serologies  Elevated creatinine level  Mild proteinuria  Elevated levels of liver enzymes  Hypergammaglobulinemia - Found in 30% of patients with PAN  Cryoglobulins, circulating immune complexes, and decreased levels of serum complement (ie, C3, C4) may be observed in patients with HBV-related PAN but are otherwise uncharacteristic of idiopathic PAN.
  • 23.
    Arthritis Rheum. 1990;33:1088 ACRCriteria (3 of 10)  Wt loss > 4 kg  Livedo reticularis  Testicular pain  Myalgias, weakness or leg tenderness  Mononeuropathy or polyneuropathy  Diastolic BP > 90   BUN or Creatinine  Hepatitis B virus  Arteriographic abnormality  Biopsy of small or medium artery containing PAN
  • 24.
    Treatment  Immunosuppression continuesto be the standard therapy for polyarteritis nodosa (PAN).  Corticosteroids plus cyclophosphamide (in the case of steroid-refractory disease or major organ involvement) can prolong survival for patients with idiopathic PAN.  In contrast, for hepatitis B–related PAN, treatment consists of corticosteroids for early, initial control followed by plasmapheresis and antiviral agents.  Stronger immunosuppression using a combinations of steroids and cyclophosphamide is typically avoided in these cases as it can enhance viral replication
  • 25.
    Prognosis Idiopathic (non–HBV-related) PAN Traditionally, it has been taught that relapses of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) are rare in individuals who completely recover  Recovery from neurologic deficits due to PAN can take up to 18 months. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement carries a worse prognosis than does peripheral nerve involvement.  The prognosis is markedly worse in patients with acute abdominal syndromes characterized by extensive bowel involvement.  Multiple perforations may be found, relapses are common, and the postoperative course is complicated by infections and delayed healing. The prognosis is better in patients with cutaneous PAN without systemic involvement. This disease is benign but tends to relapse
  • 26.
    HBV-related PAN  Patientswho seroconvert usually recover.  Once HBV-PAN goes into remission, the risk of recurrence is very low HCV-related PAN  One study found that in patients with HCV-related vasculitis, HCV-PAN exhibits a more severe clinical presentation but a higher rate of clinical remission.