Coronary vasculitis. A review in the current scheme of classification of vasculitis

Abstract

Coronary artery disease is overwhelmingly atherosclerotic in nature, but inflammatory disease of the coronary arteries can be just as life-threatening a cause of ischemic heart disease in all age groups. Coronary vasculitis is not short in variety; as a clinicopathologic entity it spans the entire spectrum of systemic vasculitides. Coronary vasculitis is most closely associated with the polyarteritis group of necrotizing angiitis, vasculitis of collagen-vascular disease, and granulomatous giant cell arteritis. This article provides an overview of coronary vasculitis as an independent entity as well as a manifestation of systemic vasculitis, both the common and the uncommon varieties.