Stress triggers disease flares in patients with vasculitis

Study shows psychological health important to controlling Wegener's granulomatosis

In patients with a devastating form of vasculitis who are in remission, stress can be associated with a greater likelihood of the disease flaring, according to a new study by investigators at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).

This is the first study to suggest that mental health is a risk factor in patients with vasculitis, a group of autoimmune disorders characterized by the inflammatory destruction of blood vessels. The study, in a form of the disease known as Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), will be presented on Nov. 8 at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting.

The rest of this report is here.

What I have to say: The patients have been saying that stress is a factor in flares since I got the disease nine years ago. We have been telling each other to keep the stress under control so I am glad to see that the HSS is now giving credence to this idea.