Gangrene Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Gangrene, including details on smoking, treatment, causes, amputation, necrosis.

Hydralazine-induced autoimmune disease: comparison to idiopathic lupus and ANCA-positive vasculitis.

Yokogawa N, Vivino FB

Division of Rheumatology, University of Pennsylvania, 3600 Spruce Street-507 Maloney Bldg, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-4283, USA, yokogawan@aol.com.

We report two cases of hydralazine-induced vasculitis with rare complications: pulmonary renal syndrome and digital gangrene. We also review 68 published cases of hydralazine-induced vasculitis. Hydralazine-induced vasculitis mimics idiopathic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-positive vasculitis. However, it also produces other autoantibodies, such as antinuclear antibodies, antihistone antibodies, anti-dsDNA antibodies, and antiphospholipid antibodies. Patients with hydralazine-induced vasculitis typically have a more severe course than those with hydralazine-induced lupus, predominantly due to renal vasculitis, and require a more aggressive treatment.

Published 2 June 2009 in Mod Rheumatol, 19(3): 338-47.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2010 Gangrene Research Today. All Rights Reserved.