Churg Strauss Syndrome Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Churg Strauss Syndrome?

Churg Strauss Syndrome is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation of small and medium-sized blood vessels in persons with a history of airway allergic hypersensitivity.

It usually manifests in three stages

• The early stage is marked by airway inflammation; almost all patients experienceasthma and/or allergic rhinitis.
• The second stage is characterized by abnormally high numbers of eosinophils, which causes tissue damage, most commonly to thelungs and the digestive tract.
• The third stage consists of vasculitis, which can eventually lead tocell death and can be life-threatening.

Causes Of Churg Strauss Syndrome:

The underlying cause of Churg-Strauss syndrome is yet unknown.

However, genetics and environmental factors are thought to play a role.

Possible risk factors include:

• Age

On average, people with Churg-Strauss syndrome are diagnosed in their mid- to late 40s.

• History of asthma or nasal problems

Most people diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome have a history of nasal allergies, chronic sinusitis or asthma, which is often severe or hard to control.

Symptoms Of Churg Strauss Syndrome:

Symptoms vary according to the stages of Churg-Strauss syndrome,

• Allergic stage
• Asthma
• Hay fever (allergic rhinitis).

This affects the mucous membranes of the nose, causing runny nose, sneezing and itching.

• Sinus pain and inflammation (sinusitis).
• Eosinophilic stage
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Asthma
• Fatigue
• Cough
• Abdominal pain
• Gastrointestinal bleeding

• Vasculitic stage
• Rash or skin sores
• Joint aches and swelling
• Severe pain, numbness and tingling in your hands and feet (peripheral neuropathy)
• Severe abdominal pain
• Diarrhea, nausea and vomiting
• shortness of breath (dyspnea) from asthma or congestive heart failure
• Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
• Chest pain
• Irregular heartbeat
• Blood in your urine (hematuria)

Diagnosis Of Churg Strauss Syndrome:

Churg-Strauss syndrome is diagnosed if one falls under the following criteria:

• Asthma
• Eosinophils greater than 10% of a differential white blood cell count
• Presence of mononeuropathy or polyneuropathy
• Unfixed pulmonary infiltrates
• Presence of paranasal sinus abnormalities
• Histological evidence of extravascular eosinophils

Treatment Of Churg Strauss Syndrome:

Churg-Strauss syndrome cannot be cured.

However, it can be managed via intake of the following medications:

• Other immunosuppressive drugs.
• cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan),
• azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran)
• methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• Immune globulin.
• Biologic medications.
• rituximab (Rituxan)

By : Natural Health News