[Morphological pathology of vessels in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's disease)].

OBJECTIVE

to investigate the incidence of injuries in different vascular beds and the morphopathological changes in vessels in granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The morphopathological features of vascular injuries were investigated in 11 dead patients aged 16--74 years with granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

RESULTS

Proliferative and destructive angiitis with predominant involvement of microcirculatory vessels and with development of necrosis-prone granulomas in their walls and perivascularly was established to underlie the clinical manifestations of granulomatosis with polyangiitis. The most typical localization of the pathologic process is the vessels of the upper respiratory tract, lungs, and kidneys. Cardiopulmonary and renal failures are causes of death in the majority of cases. It should be noted that the vessels of the heart, liver, and gastrointestinal tract are frequently involved in the pathological process. Vascular changes in these organs determine the clinical features of granulomatosis with polyangiitis and lead to a number of fatal complications.

CONCLUSION

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a systemic disease with polymorphism of clinical manifestations, which requires in-depth analysis based on current precision patient examination methods, including a histopathological study.