Polyarteritis nodosa

There is no cure for polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), but the disease and its symptoms can be managed. The goal of treatment is to prevent disease progression and further organ damage.^[1] The exact treatment depends on the severity in each person.^[2] While many people do well with treatment, relapses can occur.^[1]

When the cause of PAN is unknown (idiopathic), treatment involves corticosteroids and immunosuppressive medications.^[1] If there are no serious neurologic, renal, gastrointestinal, or heart symptoms, corticosteroids may initially be sufficient. For severe disease with these symptoms, cyclophosphamide may also be used. Hypertension should be treated aggressively.^[2]

When PAN is related to hepatitis B, treatment often involves steroids, anti-viral medications and sometimes plasma exchange (also called plasmapheresis).^[1]

It is always helpful to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle; however, we are not aware of any alternative therapies or supplements of particular benefit for treatment of polyarteritis nodosa. We recommend that you talk with your healthcare provider further regarding your treatment options.

The Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC) is an integrated group of academic medical centers, patient support organizations, and clinical research resources dedicated to conducting clinical research in different forms of vasculitis, including polyarteritis nodosa. The VCRC has a contact registry for patients who wish to be contacted about clinical research opportunities and updates on the progress of the VCRC research projects.

Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC)
Carol King, MA
Project Manager
715 Albany Street, E-5
Boston, MA 02118
Telephone: 617-414-2505
Fax: 617-414-2510
E-mail: acaking@bu.edu

The U.S. National Institutes of Health, through the National Library of Medicine, developed ClinicalTrials.gov to provide patients, family members, and members of the public with current information on clinical research studies. Currently, clinical trials are identified as enrolling individuals with polyarteritis nodosa. After you click on a study, review its "eligibility" criteria to determine its appropriateness. Use the study’s contact information to learn more. Check this site often for regular updates.

You can also contact the Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison (PRPL) Office at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). We recommend calling the toll-free number 1-800-411-1222 to speak with a specialist, who can help you determine if you are eligible for any clinical trials.  

If you are interested in enrolling in a clinical trial, you can find helpful general information on clinical trials at the following ClinicalTrials.gov Web page.
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/info/understand

Resources on many charitable or special-fare flights to research and treatment sites and low-cost hospitality accommodations for outpatients and family members, as well as ambulance services, are listed on the Web site of the Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR), part of the National Institutes of Health.
http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/Resources.aspx?PageID=8