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
