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Polyarteritis anyone?

Autoimmune Diseases | Last Active: Jun 6, 2023 | Replies (24)

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@efg4me

Thank you for all your info! A dermatologist is where I started. I’ve been having these lesions off and on for many years but only 2 or 3, they never hurt, they didn’t itch. So, when I got a few this last time they looked more severe than in the past. I saw derm and he told me they were something else and a week after I saw him the lesions multiplied like crazy, they aren’t healing, they’re bursting open so I went back and asked for a biopsy. I see a rheumatologist tomorrow and idk what to expect. I also don’t know if the biopsy tells them if it’s just cutaneous (my legs are in pain, my joints hurt, my muscles are “heavy” and fatigued; most of my lab work is fine so far so I just don’t know. Prayers would help!! Thank you for your time

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Replies to "Thank you for all your info! A dermatologist is where I started. I’ve been having these..."

If the biopsy came back “polyarteritis,” one of your docs (rheumy, PCP/internist, derm) should be confirming no major organ involvement (physical, blood work, maybe imaging.) My rheumy ruled out major organ involvement which led to the “cutaneous” prefix for polyarteritis nodosa.

FWIW Depending on how your rheumy feels about patients who come in with Dr Internet articles, you might share this open-source diagnosis algorithm for cutaneous vasculitis https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1346-8138.2009.00761.x
Also, there’s literature suggesting a IgM aPS/PT antibody correlates with cPAN activity. See refs in my thread https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/antibody-testing-laboratory

Lastly, look up @SusanEllen66. She has shared her cPAN journey on Mayo Clinic Connect