[Pulmonary manifestations of the vasculitides]

Abstract

The vasculitides involving the lower respiratory tract are mainly the small vessels vasculitides associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies including Wegener granulomatosis (WG), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and Churg-Strauss syndrome (SCS). WG pulmonary manifestations mainly consist of nodules and pneumonias often cavitary, and tracheobronchial stenoses. MPA often consists of pulmonary-renal syndrome with alveolar hemorrhage possibly severe. In SCS, asthma with eosinophilia and further eosinophilic pneumonia are the characteristic pulmonary features. Lung biopsy may be necessary in WG to obtain a definite diagnosis when no other site for biopsy is possible.