Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Vasculitis and Arteritis

Dear Colleagues,

The term “vasculitis” refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the inflammatory damage of blood vessel walls with deterioration of vessel integrity and impairment of the lumen.

Vasculitis is, conventionally, classified into large-vessel, medium-vessel, and small-vessel vasculitis according to the size of the affected vessels, mainly arteries or capillaries.

This inflammatory process may lead to hemorrhagic or ischemic consequences, with different clinical manifestations and prognoses. Most of them are systemic disorders, potentially involving any organ and system, but there is also vasculitis affecting a single organ or single vessel.

Vasculitis presents a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, from being a self-limiting disorder to a life-threatening systemic disease, with a relevant burden of morbidity and mortality, according to the pathogenesis and size of the vessel involved.

Vasculitis is generally considered a rare disease, but probably only when considered singularly.

In recent years many advances in pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy have been attained.

The most impressive results have been obtained with the incoming new biologic immunosuppressive or immunomodulating agents (rituximab, tocilizumab, belimumab, anti-IL5, and anti-TNF agents), allowing for less use of corticosteroids and classical cytostatic immunosuppressive agents (e.g., cyclophosphamide and methotrexate).

Furthermore, the introduction of PET/CT and PET/MRI techniques or non-invasive novel angiography techniques has supplied irreplaceable diagnostic tools.

This Special Issue, “Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Vasculitis and Arteritis”, aims to provide in-depth insights into the latest developments in diagnosing and treating these conditions. Researchers and experts in the field would contribute with articles covering various aspects of vasculitis and arteritis, including advances in diagnostic techniques, such as imaging and biomarkers, and treatment options, including new medication regimens and immunosuppressive therapies. Nonetheless, original articles and research reviews are welcomed.

Dr. Paolo Fraticelli
Guest Editor

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• vasculitis
• arteritis
• diagnosis
• treatment
• autoimmunity
• biologic therapies