Headaches and vasculitis.
Vasculitis is a spectrum of clinicopathologic disorders defined by inflammation of arteries of veins of varying caliber with variable tissue injury. Headache may be an important clue to vasculitic involvement of central nervous system (CNS) vessels. CNS vasculitis may be primary, in which only intracranial vessels are involved in the inflammatory process, or secondary to another known disorder with overlapping systemic involvement. A suspicion of vasculitis based on the history, clinical examination, or laboratory studies warrants prompt evaluation and treatment to forestall progression and avert cerebral ischemia or infarction.
Department of Neurology, New York University School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA; Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Lenox Hill Hospital, 100 East 77th Street, New York, NY 10021, USA. Electronic address: david.younger@nyumc.org.
David S
DS
Younger
D000818:Animals; D001167:Arteritis / Q000473:pathology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
Central nervous system; Headaches; Intracranial vessels; Vasculitis