Health Encyclopedia

Allergic vasculitis

Definition

Allergic vasculitis is hypersensitivity to a drug or foreign substance that leads to inflammation and damage to blood vessels of the skin.

Alternative Names

Vasculitis - allergic hypersensitivity; Cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Allergic vasculitis is caused by an allergic reaction to a drug or other foreign substance.

Symptoms

Skin lesions usually located on legs, buttocks, or trunk
Purpura
Blisters on the skin
Urticaria (hives), may last longer than 24 hours
Necrotic ulcers (open sores with dead tissue)

Signs and tests

The diagnosis is primarily based on your sysmptoms and how the skin looks after you take a certain medicine or are exposed to a foreign substance (antigen).

Results from an ESR (sed rate) test may be high. Skin biopsy shows inflammation of the blood vessels.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation.

Aspirin or corticosteroids may be prescribed to reduce inflammation of the blood vessels. (DO NOT give aspirin to children except as advised by the health care provider.)

If possible, your doctor may tell you to stop taking the medicine that caused this condition. Do not stop taking any medicine without first talking to your doctor.

Expectations (prognosis)

Allergic vasculitis usually goes away over time.

Complications

Permanent damage to the blood vessels or skin with scarring
Inflammation of the blood vessels affects the internal organs

Calling your health care provider

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you have symptoms of allergic vasculitis.

Prevention

Avoid exposure to medications to which there are known allergies.

Review Date:5/27/2007
Reviewed By:Steve Lee, DO, Rheumatology Fellow, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

ADAM Quality A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.