Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN)

• affects young adults

• affects small- to medium-sized muscular arteries

• unknown cause

• most often involves renal, visceral vessels

Photo

• contrast study of the kidney. some sort of obstruction is going on in the renal vasculature

Histology

• there is fibrinoid transmural necrosis

  • fibrinoid = pink fibrin that is deposited

  • transmural = across the whole vessel

• so the whole vessel is blocked off

Clinical course

• findings are related to ischemia

  • malaise, fever, weight loss

  • renal artery involvement is common; it is one of the major causes of death

• episodic

• acute or chronic

• can be clinically puzzling

• treat with immune suppression—steroids and cyclophosphamide, a chemo agent that is pretty good at immunosuppression

Category: Medical Subject Notes , Pathology Notes