The Disease Called Churg-Strauss Syndrome
The Churg-Strauss syndrome got its name from its researchers, who are doctors Jacob Churg and Lotte Strauss. They put years in to the study and what they have discovered is a disease that can be considered as a total vasculitis. Vasculitis is the medical term given to the inflammation of the blood vessels. The Churg-Strauss syndrome is a certain condition that has different symptoms and it includes asthma, eosinophilia, fever, and the vasculitis that normally accompanies the disease. Eosinophilia, on the other hand, is the condition wherein the white blood cells take up the blood’s red dye.
And along with those specific symptoms, patients may also feel numbness, pain, and mononeuropathy, otherwise known as the tingling sensation in the arms or legs. Lung abnormalities and sinus problems, which may also include the formation of polyps in the nose area, are also likely to develop.
Some patients might notice lumps and purpura or raised patches on the skin. They may also feel the loss of their appetite that will eventually lead to their losing weight excessively. And soon enough, they will feel sudden fatigue and weakness engulfing their bodies. Worse, they could even develop abdominal, kidney, and heart problems due to the inflammation of the blood vessels on top of all of these.
When it comes to this disease, men and women have equal risks. However, those who have a history of asthma, either a worsened case or as a newly acquired disease are more susceptible to it. Research had also shown that this particular disease could attack the body’s immune system.
To diagnose the Churg-Strauss syndrome, doctors conduct a complete medical history research on their patients. Those who have asthma are more likely to acquire the disease, but in reality, only a fraction of them do. Aside from the medical history evaluation, physical examinations, chest x-rays, and blood tests are all done to get a more definitive analysis. Other diagnostic methods, such as imaging studies, tissue biopsies, and nerve conduction tests may also be performed.
The Churg-Strauss syndrome is usually treated with medications that has the ability to slow down the over activity of the components of the immune system. This is very important because in a Churg-Strauss syndrome, the white blood cells abnormally attacks the healthy tissues, and that is while it is doing its job of fighting off other diseases.
The drug commonly used to treat the Churg-Strauss syndrome is called prednisone, though other medicines like azathioprine and mycophenolate may also be used. For severe cases though, the medicines are administered intravenously. On the average, the whole treatment process may last for as much as two years, depending upon the severity of the case.
The Churg-Strauss syndrome is gene-related, but it is further being studied if it can be inherited altogether. To date, there hasn’t been a case that the disease is seen on two siblings. Researches are being conducted so that the syndrome will be understood more, and consequently, it will be treated more effectively. Right now, the method used to treat the disease mainly depends upon the curing the underlying causes of it.
Churg-Strauss syndrome can be classified as a serious disease. In fact, a lot of its patients die from it, especially before the introduction of the drug prednisone. But since its advent, patients are more likely to survive. But for them to fully improve, they are advised to undergo therapy. The therapy required may last for more than a year, but it would surely lead the patient to recovery, if it were done religiously and accurately. If this disease is diagnosed on you, it is a must that the doctor’s advice be followed promptly. Though the disease is now curable, it can still be fatal if left ignored.
