Therapy of Neurological Disorders in Systemic Vasculitis

Ralf Gold; Adriano Fontana; Stephan Zierz

doi:10.1055/s-2003-41133

Seminars in Neurology, Table of Contents

Semin Neurol 2003; 23(2): 207-214
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-41133

Therapy of Neurological Disorders in Systemic Vasculitis

Ralf Gold¹ , Adriano Fontana² , Stephan Zierz³

¹Department of Neurology, Clinical Research Group for Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
²Department of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
³Department of Neurology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Significant progress has been made in our understanding of the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with vasculitis. Simultaneous involvement of the nervous system and systemic organs points to shared antigenic targets or immune mechanisms operative at both sites. Although specific immunotherapy is not available, the old and new immunomodulatory therapies have been instrumental in providing effective therapy in most of these chronic autoimmune disorders. The treatment of giant cell arteritis, neurosarcoidosis, Wegener's granulomatosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polyarteritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and Behcet disease will be reviewed.

KEYWORDS

Autoimmunity - nervous system - therapy - vasculitis

Full Text

References

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