Churg-Strauss Syndrome, now commonly referred to as EGPA (Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis), is a rare chronic disease marked by inflammation of the blood vessels. It mainly affects people - and most commonly, men - in the 30-45 age group, with symptoms seldom being found in those outside this age group, especially the young or elderly.
It is a very rare condition. The cause of this syndrome is not known,however it does involve an abnormal over-active immune system almost always in a patient with a history of asthma. Some health professionals suggest that Churg-Strauss syndrome is perhaps linked to certain types of asthma medications. These are called leukotriene modifiers. It is not known whether these types of medication actually cause this condition or whether it is that the patients that take them have a more severe kind of asthma, that then lends to developing the condition of Churg-Strauss.
A person with Churg-Strauss Syndrome may find that they have recently suffered a loss in weight. They may also suffer from fevers and a lot of the time they may feel extremely tired and weak.
Churg-Strauss Syndrome is difficult to diagnose because the amount of different symptoms it can produce, which makes it very similar to a lot of other ailments. There is currently no cure for this illness, but it can be kept under control with steroids and strong drugs.
One stage that is most common in all sufferers, however, is the allergic stage, consisting of asthma, sinus pain and hayfever. The allergic stage is typically the first of several, with immune system related symptoms often following it. Medically this stage is known as eosinophilic stage and relates to intricacies arising from the white blood cells, the presence of which is normally notably, and sometimes dangerously, higher in those with Churg-Strauss than those without. Though the symptoms relating to this - amongst them fever, loss of appetite and fatigue - do not sound overly severe, a particularly high white blood cell count can have perilous affects on the body.
Latter stages are the onset of vasculitis. This is the inflammation of the blood vessels and therefore a reduction of blood flow to different organs and tissues. The local and systemic symptoms all become a lot more widespread. Severe complications can also arise at this stage. Thrombosis in the damaged arteries can sometimes occur. Some patients can experience recurring abdominal complaints. The most life threatening complication of this stage is heart disease. Heart disease is the cause of nearly a half of all the deaths in patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome.
The overall prognosis for sufferers of this disease is good in most cases, where on average people who seek medical attention at an early stage can recover well, but may need regular monitoring by a specialist physician. However the illness can recur, especially among those with asthma or nasal problems, whereby thirty to fifty per cent of patients do suffer a relapse of new symptoms or those similar to their original condition. In these instances it is vital to seek advice from a medical doctor, who after following examination and laboratory tests, should be able to prescribe the correct dosage of drugs in order to stabilize the disease and prevent any further development, resulting in most patients being able to continue a good normal quality of life.
It is a very rare condition. The cause of this syndrome is not known,however it does involve an abnormal over-active immune system almost always in a patient with a history of asthma. Some health professionals suggest that Churg-Strauss syndrome is perhaps linked to certain types of asthma medications. These are called leukotriene modifiers. It is not known whether these types of medication actually cause this condition or whether it is that the patients that take them have a more severe kind of asthma, that then lends to developing the condition of Churg-Strauss.
A person with Churg-Strauss Syndrome may find that they have recently suffered a loss in weight. They may also suffer from fevers and a lot of the time they may feel extremely tired and weak.
Churg-Strauss Syndrome is difficult to diagnose because the amount of different symptoms it can produce, which makes it very similar to a lot of other ailments. There is currently no cure for this illness, but it can be kept under control with steroids and strong drugs.
One stage that is most common in all sufferers, however, is the allergic stage, consisting of asthma, sinus pain and hayfever. The allergic stage is typically the first of several, with immune system related symptoms often following it. Medically this stage is known as eosinophilic stage and relates to intricacies arising from the white blood cells, the presence of which is normally notably, and sometimes dangerously, higher in those with Churg-Strauss than those without. Though the symptoms relating to this - amongst them fever, loss of appetite and fatigue - do not sound overly severe, a particularly high white blood cell count can have perilous affects on the body.
Latter stages are the onset of vasculitis. This is the inflammation of the blood vessels and therefore a reduction of blood flow to different organs and tissues. The local and systemic symptoms all become a lot more widespread. Severe complications can also arise at this stage. Thrombosis in the damaged arteries can sometimes occur. Some patients can experience recurring abdominal complaints. The most life threatening complication of this stage is heart disease. Heart disease is the cause of nearly a half of all the deaths in patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome.
The overall prognosis for sufferers of this disease is good in most cases, where on average people who seek medical attention at an early stage can recover well, but may need regular monitoring by a specialist physician. However the illness can recur, especially among those with asthma or nasal problems, whereby thirty to fifty per cent of patients do suffer a relapse of new symptoms or those similar to their original condition. In these instances it is vital to seek advice from a medical doctor, who after following examination and laboratory tests, should be able to prescribe the correct dosage of drugs in order to stabilize the disease and prevent any further development, resulting in most patients being able to continue a good normal quality of life.
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