mesenteric sclerosis

polyarteritis nodosathis is an immune complex-mediatedsystemic vasculitis of small and medium arteries. specifically, this vasculitis is describedas an immune complex-mediated transmural vasculitis, a commonly tested fact is that around 30%of patients with polyarteritis nodosa have chronic hepatitis b, polyarteritis nodosais associated with fibrinoid necrosis of the arterial wall,common symptoms of this diseaseinclude black stool, or melena, due to bleeding from the gi tract, along with neurologic dysfunction,patients also complain of myalgias, as well as fever, and develop hypertension,in polyarteritisnodosa, the blood vessels and lesions involved are often found to have inflammation of differentstages,besides the mesenteric arteries, the renal arteries are also involved.

inflammation of these arteries results inmultiple renal microaneurysms, which can be visualized on an arteriogram, an importantfact to remember, is that the pulmonary arteries are classically spared in polyarteritis nodosa,and there is no pulmonary involvement,polyarteritis nodosa is treated by suppressing the immunesystem; initially patients are given corticosteroids,an antineoplastic medication, cyclophosphamide,, is also helpful in treating this disease, as this drug also works to suppress immune-mediatedinflammation. so to sum it up, polyarteritis nodosa is animmune complex-mediated transmural vasculitis. remember that this disease is associated withhepatitis b, and causes fibrinoid necrosis. signs and symptoms include melanotic, blackstools, neurologic dysfunction, and myalgias.

patients also develop fever and hypertension. diagnosis is made when we see vessels or lesionsin different stages of inflammation, and on arteriogram we see renal microaneurysms. don't forget that this inflammatory syndromespares the pulmonary arteries. polyarteritis nodosa is treated with corticosteroids,along with cyclophosphamide.