Microscopic polyarteritis following a suppurative wound infection.
Bacterial and viral infections may be associated with the onset of a number of autoimmune diseases and relapses of these conditions. We describe a patient in whom there was a close temporal relationship between a suppurative wound infection and the onset of microscopic polyarteritis. The clinical features of this disease responded to treatment with high dose prednisolone and cyclophosphamide. The patient had several further infective episodes while being treated, but there were no disease exacerbations or relapses related to these. Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) were never demonstrated in this patient. Thus while it is likely that the infection precipitated the onset of the systemic vasculitic illness, this occurred independently of ANCA.
Branley
P
P
Renal Unit, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
Savige
J A
JA
Sinclair
R A
RA
Miach
P
P
D000368:Aged; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000032:analysis; D001167:Arteritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D001706:Biopsy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013492:Suppuration / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014946:Wound Infection / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone