Otolaryngologic manifestations of small vessel vasculitis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study is to review the clinical manifestations associated with small vessel vasculitis (SVV) as they pertain to the head and neck region.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed, including 34 individuals that filled the American College of Rheumatology criteria for the diagnosis of necrotizing vasculitis. Seven patients were classified as suffering from Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), 18 from microscopic polyangitis (MPA), and the remaining 19 were unclassified (unclassified small vessel vasculitis, USVV).


RESULTS
The percentage of ENT manifestations in the early clinical picture of WG patients was 86%, dropping to 44.5 and 22% for MPA and USVV patients, respectively. The overall percentage of ENT manifestations for SVV patients in their initial clinical profile was 47%.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our investigation highlight the importance of an ENT clinical examination as a guide for diagnosis of an important percentage of SVV patients.
Metaxaris
George
G
Department of Pathology, Kos General Hospital, Kos, Greece.
Prokopakis
Emmanuel P
EP
Karatzanis
Alexander D
AD
Sakelaris
George
G
Heras
Panagiotis
P
Velegrakis
George A
GA
Helidonis
Emmanuel S
ES
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000276:immunology; D015267:Churg-Strauss Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010488:Polyarteritis Nodosa / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic