M31.3: Wegener granulomatosis

Blood vessels transport the blood from the heart to the different tissues and organs in the body, and back again. In so doing, they provide the tissue and organs with oxygen and nutrients, and remove waste substances. The precise cause of the blood vessel inflammation is not known. With this disorder the immune system might produce antibodies that target the blood vessels. The immune system protects the body from pathogens and foreign substances. The immune system can also destroy cells in the body that have pathologically changed. If the immune system attacks the body’s own blood vessels, those blood vessels can become inflamed.

Blood vessels in different parts of the body can be affected. The blood vessels in the lungs and kidneys, for example, can become inflamed. This can then damage the lungs and kidneys. There are normally 2 kidneys in the body. They filter blood and create urine. They thus help to detoxify the body. Furthermore, the kidneys regulate the blood pressure and salt content in the blood, among other things. You need lungs to breath. When we breathe in, oxygen enters the lungs and accumulates in the blood. This blood then flows to the heart. The heart then pumps the oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. All of the organs are supplied with oxygen as a result.

The nasal mucous membrane or the air ways may also suffer long-term inflammation. This disorder can make people feel fatigued and unwell.