Churg-Strauss syndrome

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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

It's not known precisely how many people have Churg-Strauss syndrome, but the disease is rare, affecting somewhere between 700 and 3,000 people in the United States. Given this, it's clear that although many people may have risk factors for the disease, very few actually develop it.

Risk factors for Churg-Strauss syndrome include:

  • Age. The average age of people diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome is 50, but people as young as their 30s can have signs and symptoms of systemic vasculitis. The disorder is rare in older adults and children.
  • History of asthma or nasal problems. Most people diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome have a history of nasal allergies, chronic sinusitis or asthma, which is often severe or hard to control.
References
  1. What is Churg Strauss syndrome? Churg Strauss Syndrome Association. http://www.cssassociation.org/about_the_syndrome.asp. Accessed Aug. 20, 2008.
  2. King TE. Churg-Strauss syndrome (allergic granulomatosis and angiitis). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index. Accessed Aug. 20, 2008.
  3. Churg Strauss syndrome. Vasculitis Foundation. http://www.vasculitisfoundation.org/churgstrausssyndrome. Accessed Aug. 20, 2008.
  4. Hellmich B, et al. Update on the pathogenesis of Churg-Strauss syndrome. Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. 2003;21(6)(suppl):S69-S77.
  5. Lilly CM, et al. Asthma therapies and Churg-Strauss syndrome. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 2002;109(1):S1-S19.
  6. Weschler ME, et al. Churg-Strauss syndrome in patients receiving montelukast as treatment for asthma. Chest. 2000;117(3):708-713.
  7. Hauser T, et al. The leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast and the risk of Churg-Strauss syndrome: A case-crossover study. Thorax. 2008;63:677-682.
  8. Tsurikisawa N, et al. Treatment of Churg-Strauss syndrome with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2004;92(1):80-87.

DS00855

Nov. 14, 2008

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