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Management of virus-induced systemic vasculitides
1Department of Internal Medicine, Hôpital Avicenne, AP-HP, Université Paris-Nord, 125 rue de Stalingrad, 93009 Bobigny Cedex, France. loic.guillevin@avc.ap-hop-paris.fr
Abstract:
The best therapeutic strategy in virus-induced vasculitides should take into account the etiology of the disease and be adapted to the pathogenesis. The combination of antiviral treatments and plasma exchanges has been proven effective in polyarteritis nodosa. In HIV-related vasculitis, this strategy is effective and does not jeopardize the outcome of AIDS, as do cytotoxic agents. In vasculitis related to hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinemia, plasma exchanges improve the outcome, but the poor effectiveness of antiviral drugs usually does not favor a definite recovery of the patients. Relapses are frequent.