ABSTRACT
Wegener’s granulomatosis is an inflammatory condition of unknown cause that can affect any organ system but most frequently involves the upper respiratory tract, the lower respiratory tract, and the kidneys (1-5). Although Wegener’s is often classified as a form of vasculitis, the inflammatory lesions can include not only arteritis but also granulomas with acute and chronic inflammation and large areas of tissue necrosis (3-5). Indeed, biopsy specimen from the upper airways show granulomatous inflammation and necrosis occuring much more often than vasculitis (5). Respiraory tract involvement is important because it usually causes the initial symptoms, it frequently provides sites for biopsy to confirm the diagnosis, and it can result in serious morbidity or death (5). Treatment with immunosuppressive agents and prednisone has transformed the course of Wegener’s from a rapidly fatal disease to a chronic disease that may remit and relapse (5).
