Osler and the Churg-Strauss Syndrome

Osler and the Churg-Strauss syndrome.

This paper records a patient of Osler's, who showed many features compatible with the Churg-Strauss syndrome of allergic granulomatous angiitis to be described 50 years later.

The Churg Strauss Syndrome

During the first half of this century, several authors reported a variant of a small vessel vasculitis that appeared similar to the then recognized polyarteritis nodosa. The condition was distinguished by a significant atopic component, in the form of allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, and hypereosinophilia (1). Such patients frequently had a poor prognosis, with many patients dying as a resu...

Churg-Strauss syndrome.

Churg-strauss syndrome.

First described in 1951 as an allergic and granulomatous angiitis, Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a small-vessel vasculitis. Mean age at the time of diagnosis is approximately 50 years, with a sex ratio around 1. Asthma is the central feature of CSS and precedes the systemic manifestations in almost all cases, whereas 70% of the patients have maxillary sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and/or sinu...

Churg-Strauss Syndrome

Pulmonary: asthma, pneumonitis and haemoptysis. Upper respiratory tract: allergic rhinitis, paranasal sinusitis, nasal polyposis. Cardiac involvement is common. [6]This includes heart failure, myocarditis and myocardial infarction. [7] Skin: purpura, skin nodules, leukocytoclastic angiitis with palpable purpura, livedo reticularis, urticaria, necrotic bullae and digital ischaemia. Renal: glomer...