Churg strauss syndrome

By,
Manchu Ajeesha
 Churg-Strauss syndrome is an extremely rare disease that causes
inflammation of your blood vessels. It can damage small and medium-sized
blood vessels. Doctors also call it Churg-Strauss vasculitis, eosinophilic
granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), and allergic angiitis.
It most often affects your nose, sinuses, lungs, heart, intestines, and nerves. The
inflammation can also affect the kidneys, muscles, or joints.
 Symptoms by stages:
The symptoms of Churg-Strauss depend on the stage of your disease. There are
three. They don’t always happen in sequence, and you may not get all three. The
stages of Churg-Strauss are:

Allergic: Your doctor may also call it prodromal, which means it happens at the
start of a disease. It can last anywhere from months to years. You’ll probably
notice:Asthma if you don’t already have it

before vasculitis.
● Existing asthma worsening
● Hay fever
● Inflamed sinuses
● Nasal polyps
● These symptoms usually come first. They might show up 6 months or 2
decades
 Risk factors 😖
Anyone can get Churg-Strauss. But things that make it more likely include:

Age: On average, people are between 30 and 50 when they get diagnosed.

Asthma or nasal problems: Most people who get it have chronic asthma, nasal
allergies, or chronic sinusitis.
 Complications😯
Nerve damage: It affects your peripheral nervous system, which runs throughout
your body. You might get neuropathy -- tingling, burning, or pain -- in your hands
and feet.

● Scars: Sores on your skin can leave a mark.

● Pericarditis: The membrane around your heart can become inflamed.
● Myocarditis: Muscles in your heart can become inflamed.
● Kidney problems: When they can’t filter, waste builds up in your bloodstream.
 Diagnosis
‍ ‍
● Blood tests: The doctor will look for proteins in your blood that show
inflammation. They’ll also check for extra white blood cells.
● Imaging tests: These could include an X-ray, CT scan, and MRI to check for
problems in your lungs and sinuses.
● Biopsy: The doctor will take a small tissue sample from an affected spot, like
an area of your skin with a rash, to look for inflamed blood vessels. Or they
might do a kidney or lung biopsy.
 ‍ ‍‍⚕️
Treatment...
● Steroids: These are the most common drugs prescribed for this condition.
Most people take prednisone (by mouth) and prednisolone (by IV). If your
nervous system, heart, kidneys, or intestines aren’t affected, you’ll probably
do well with prednisone alone. Once the disease is under control, your doctor
will slowly lower the dose. You may be able to stop it entirely.
● Immune system drugs: If steroids aren’t enough, your doctor may also
prescribe azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), or
methotrexate. The doctor will do blood tests often to check for side
effects.Continue Reading Below You may be able to ease off this medication
after your condition is under control. This could take 6 months or several
years.
 ‍ ‍⚕️
Treatment...‍
● Intravenous immune globulin (IVIG): You might take this protein cocktail if
other treatments don’t work. You get it by an infusion into a vein (IV), usually
once a month.
● Biologic response modifiers (biologics): These may be the next step in your
treatment plan.Unlike medications that target your entire immune system,
biologics focus on a specific part of the inflammation process. You usually get
it in a shot or an infusion. These drugs can make you more likely to get an
infection.
 Lifestyle Changes💫

● Exercise 🆗
● Healthy diet🍎
● Stop smoking 🚬🚫
● Keep your bones healthy (vit d and calcium) ☘️💪