Has anyone had vasculitis associated with RA? I have been in remission for 6 years and now have symptoms in knees and lesions the dr. thinks may be vasculitis. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hey gavachita...

I have leukocytoclastic vasculitis. An auto-immune condition causing inflammation in the smaller blood vessels close to the skin that resemble welts. Sometimes you can feel the inflammed vessels under the skin.

Not much you can take to make it specifically go away. I already take prednisone (40 mg) daily and Enbrel, so I take enough immunomodulators to keep the vasculitis suppressed.

Good luck, and ask me any question you have.

Take care,
Joe

Hi Joe

Your description fits the condition we observe on my wife. The doctor has given the diagnosis urticaria vasculite, and he is presently considering Enbrel - as no other meds are working. However, he hesitates since he cannot find any documentation that Enbrel actually works in her case. Can you give us some help here - any links or names of doc's who have experience on these cases?

Thanks,
RV