Churg-Strauss syndrome
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GC: n

S: NCBI – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22772324 (last access: 17 May 2017); WebMD – https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/churg-strauss-syndrome#1 (last access: 7 March 2018).

N: 1.- Churg (pn): Jacob Churg was an American pathologist, born July 16, 1910, Dolhinow, then in Russia, now Poland and he died July 27, 2005.
– Strauss (pn): Lotte Strauss was an American pathologist. She was born in April 15, 1913, Nürnberg, Germany and died July 4, 1985.
– syndrome (n): “a number of symptoms occurring together,” 1540s, from medical Latin, from Greek syndrome “concurrence of symptoms, concourse of people,” from syndromos “place where several roads meet,” literally “a running together,” from syn– “with” + dromos “a running, course”. Psychological sense is from 1955.
2. A very rare type of vasculitis which is often preceded by a history of asthma, and the disease typically begins with allergic rhinitis, often with nasal polyposis and sinusitis. Symptoms are asthma-like respirational troubles. There is fever, and the main organ involvement is skin, kidney and lung with eosinophilia with vascular and extravascular granulomas at varying stages of evolution, and inflammation of small arteries. The systemic form resembles polyarteritis nodosa. Severe renal complications are uncommon. Prevalent in women. For their report in 1951 the results by Churg and Strauss were based on 13 cases, which had originally been diagnosed as polyarteritis nodosa. The main histological criteria were necrotising vasculitis, tissue-infiltration of eosinophilic leukocytes as well as extravascular granuloma. They termed the condition allergic granulomatosis and angiitis.
3. Epidemiology:

  • Frequency: United States. The incidence of Churg-Strauss syndrome in the United States is 1-3 cases per 100,000 adults per year.
  • International: The international incidence of Churg-Strauss syndrome is approximately 2.5 cases per 100,000 adults per year.
  • Mortality/Morbidity: The principal causes of morbidity and mortality in Churg-Strauss syndrome are myocarditis and myocardial infarction secondary to coronary arteritis. With treatment, the 1-year survival rate is 90% and the 5-year survival rate is 62%.
  • Sex- and Age-related Demographics: Churg-Strauss syndrome is slightly more common in males than in females. The age at onset varies from 15-70 years, with a mean age of approximately 38 years. Churg-Strauss syndrome in pediatric patients is well described, but mostly as case reports. The mean age at diagnosis is around 50 years.

4. Symptoms: fevers, shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, runny nose, facial pain due to inflamed sinuses (sinusitis), rashes, abdominal pain, blood in the stools, muscle and joint pain (arthritis).
5. Cultural Interrelation: We could mention episode 18 Here Kitty from the TV series (2004-2012) House M. D. (season 5).

S: 1. OED – http://www.goo.gl/Qccj4q (last access: 20 March 2017); WNMDT – http://www.goo.gl/8KbQ2Z (last access: 15 May 2017); http://www.goo.gl/a1ZPkq (last access: 15 May 2017). 2. WNMDT – http://www.goo.gl/ExjoLr (last access: 15 May 2017). 3. MD – http://www.goo.gl/43PQyr (last access: 15 May 2017). 4. WebMD – http://www.goo.gl/EyRRn6 (last access: 15 May 2017). 5. http://www.housediseases.com/episodes-17-204.html (last access: 7 March 2018)).

SYN: 1. eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). 2. allergic granulomatous angiitis, allergic granulomatosis, Churg-Strauss vasculitis. (context)

S: 1. MD – http://www.goo.gl/KaZAVW (last access: 7 March 2018). 2. TERMIUM PLUS ­- https://goo.gl/C1vv92 (last access: 15 May 2017).

CR: asthma, rhinitis.