CUTANEOUS VASCULITIDES 

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2015 April;150(2):221-32

Copyright © 2015 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Vasculitis associated with connective tissue diseases

Cozzani E. ¹, Gasparini G. ¹, Papini M. ², Burlando M. ¹, Drago F. ¹, Parodi A. ¹ ✉

¹ Section of Dermatology, IRCCS AOU San Martino‑IST, Di.S.Sal, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy; ² University of Perugia, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences Dermatologic, Clinic of Terni, Terni, Italy

Vasculitis in connective tissue disease (CTD) is quite rare, it is reported in approximately 10% of patients with CTD; systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) shows the highest association rate. Vessels of any size may be involved, but mainly small vessels vasculitis is reported. At present the classification of these vasculitis is unsatisfactory. According to the 2012 revised International Chapel Hill Consensus Conference, vasculitides secondary to CTD are a well identified entity and are classified under the category of “vasculitis associated with systemic disease”. However only lupus vasculitis and rheumatoid vasculitis are explicitly listed, while the remaining are generically included under the heading “others”. Petechiae, purpura, gangrene and ulcers are the most frequent cutaneous manifestations that should investigated in order to rule out potentially dangerous systemic involvement, especially if cryoglobulinemic or necrotizing vasculitis are suspected. This review will focus on the cutaneous involvement in CTD associated vasculitis.