Lymphocytic Vasculitis Skin Rash: Why Does it Occur and How Can you Prevent It?

Lymphocytic Vasculitis Skin Rash: Why Does it Occur and How Can you Prevent It?
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Lymphocytic vasculitis is an inflammation due to infiltration of blood vessel walls with lymphocytes. This can cause raised skin welts, which can be tender, painful, and lead to structural and functional damage to the vessel walls. The skin often remains dark even after the rash has gone. Lymphocytic symptoms include pain, tenderness, purpura (various bruising conditions where small blood vessels hemorrhage), increased pigmentation, and raised red skin patches. Though signs and symptoms can vary on an individual basis for each patient, additional causes could include immune system conditions, pathogenic inflammatory conditions, or circulatory system conditions. Only your physician can order testing and provide a proper diagnosis for this disease.

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Symptoms

Symptoms include, but are not limited to, fatique, loss of appetite, muscle and joint pain, weight loss, fever, weight loss, red or purple dots, raised red skin patches, appearing mostly on the legs. Signs and symptoms of lymphocytic vasculitis may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only a qualified physician or hematologist can provide adequate diagnosis and provide treatment.

Causes

Lymphocytic vasculitis occurs when your body attacks the blood vessels. It is not always known what triggers or causes this condition. It can be caused by an infection of the blood vessel. When bacteria, viruses, or fungi infect the blood vessel walls, white blood cells move in to destroy the infection and damage the blood vessel walls in the process. This is a serious condition and will need immediate antibiotic treatment. An allergic reaction in the vessel walls is more common. Some immune systems do not serve their purpose of destroying antigens. The antigens remain too long in the body and accumulate in blood vessel walls where they cause inflammation. Additional causes could include immune system conditions, pathogenic inflammatory conditions, or circulatory system conditions. This condition can also occur on its own.

Diagnosis

Lymphocytic vasculitis skin rash is diagnosed based on a person’s medical history, current symptoms, physical examination, and specialized blood tests. Sometimes a biopsy is necessary. Only your physician can give you the proper diagnosis and the best treatment for each individual case.

Treatment

The rash is often treated with high doses of corticoststeroids which are quite effective. Daily treatment of prednisone reduces the occurrence of the skin lesions, but does not eliminate them.

Many cases do not require treatment. If only a few spots on the skin now and then and not other symptoms occur, medication is not necessary.

Severe lymphocytic vasculitis is treated with cytotoxic drugs. The two most commonly used are Imuran or Cytoxan along with Prednisone.

Conclusion

This disease is quite difficult to diagnosis and can have many causes. Only a qualified physician or hematologist can decide the proper testing, and after evaluating your current symptoms and medical history, make the proper diagnosis. He or she will decide upon the proper treatment for your individual case. There is no known prevention of lymphocytic vasculitis. However, with a daily dose of prednisone, you can reduce the number of outbreaks.

References

https://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/lymphocytic-vasculitis

https://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/l/lymphocytic_vasculitis/intro.htm

https://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/reprint/97/1/95.pdf

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