Testicular infarction in a 12-year-old boy with Wegener's granulomatosis

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis: Possible endocrine manifestations

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is a necrotizing vasculitis of small and medium-sized blood vessels characterized by diffuse inflammation of vascular structures and perivascular and extravascular granulomatosis. In its systemic form, GPA predominantly affects the ear, nose and throat, with lung and kidney involvement with typically rapidly progressive necrotizing glomerulonephritis with extracapillary crescents, while the absence of kidney damage at the time of diagnosis is defined as a limited form of GPA with a more favorable prognosis (1, 2). Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (c-ANCA) with specificity for proteinase 3 (PR3) represent a biochemical diagnostic criterion. They are detected in 90% of generalized forms and in about 50% of limited forms of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (1, 2). In the absence of treatment, GPA is a disease of progressive evolution. Systemic corticosteroid therapy and immunosuppressive therapy significantly changed the prognostic aspect of the disease. Only a few sporadic observations have been published on endocrine disorders associated with GPA. We present a case of a man, 39 years old, with Wegener's granulomatosis who developed autoimmune thyroiditis 8 years after the initial diagnosis.

Perspectives in Pediatric Pathology, Chapter 19. Testicular Torsion, Testicular Appendix Torsion, and Other Forms of Testicular Infarction

Among the most frequent specimens at the pediatric surgical pathology bench, orchiectomy performed after testicular torsion deserves significant attention. Multiple implications, including fertility, legal complications, possibility of occult lesion, and others, need to be considered. Furthermore, torsion of testicular and other appendices represents common urological emergencies frequently encountered in surgical pathology. Here we present a review of testicular torsion and infarction, including theories about their pathogenesis and the appropriate handling by the diagnostic pathologist.

Testicular Vasculitis: A Sonographic and Pathologic Diagnosis

Very little has been published about single-organ vasculitis of the testicle in the radiological literature. Consequently, it is a diagnosis that is unfamiliar to most radiologists. This case report describes the sonographic, pathologic, and laboratory findings of testicular vasculitis and reviews the available literature with regard to this subject.

Pediatric granulomatous orchitis: Case report and review of the literature

An 11-year-old boy presented with fever and abdominal pain, and was diagnosed with retroperitoneal lymphadenitis. At the same time, a painless right scrotal mass was observed. On imaging the testis and the epididymal mass both had abundant blood flow, although tumor markers were negative. Although the right testis had shrunk after antibiotic treatment, swelling was persistent and incisional biopsy was therefore performed, resulting in diagnosis of granulomatous orchitis (GO). No recurrence was found. In cases of scrotal swelling in both the testis and the epididymis of an older child, it is necessary to consider the possibility of inflammatory GO, and orchiectomy should not be performed without careful consideration.

Urological manifestations and treatment of the primary systemic vasculitides

The primary systemic vasculitides (PSV) are a group of rare inflammatory disorders affecting blood vessels of varying size and multiple organs. Urological manifestations of PSV are uncommon. Testicular vasculitis is the most commonly reported finding and is associated with Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN), Henoch-Schönlein Purpura (HSP), anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody associated Vasculitides (AAV), Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) and Kawasaki disease. Prostatic vasculitis has been reported in association with GCA and AAV. Ureteric involvement has been noted in PAN, HSP and AAV. Other urogenital manifestations of PSV include genital ulceration and bladder dysfunction in Behçets Disease and haematuria which is commonly seen in many of the PSV. Finally, therapies used to treat the PSV, especially cyclophosphamide, are associated with urological side-effects including haemorrhagic cystitis and urothelial malignancy. The aim of this review is to examine how the urological system is involved in the PSV. Each PSV is examined in turn, with a brief clinical description of the disease followed by a description of the urological manifestations and management. Identification of urological manifestations of PSV is important as in many cases symptoms may improve with immunosuppressive therapy, avoiding the need for invasive surgery. Additionally, patients who present with isolated urogenital PSV are at higher risk of developing subsequent systemic vasculitis and will need to be followed up closely.

Fertility and pregnancy in vasculitis

Despite the rarity of vasculitides, fertility and pregnancy outcome in the setting of vasculitis have become a major topic of interest within the past decade. The potential impact of vasculitis therapies, particularly cyclophosphamide, has been examined to some extent, but data are limited on the possible impact of the disease itself on fertility. Ideally, pregnancy should be planned when the vasculitis is in remission. The outcome for mothers and newborns is usually good when vasculitis is known before the pregnancy and is in remission, but every pregnant woman must be monitored by a specialised health-care team consisting of obstetricians specialised in high-risk births and internists/rheumatologists with expertise in managing these rare conditions. Most maternal complications during pregnancy are indeed due to vasculitis damage: hypertension in Takayasu arteritis (TAK) or granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA)/microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) with renal insufficiency, asthma or cardiac damage in eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) and subglottic and/or bronchial stenosis(es) in GPA. Pregnancy loss can occur in about 10% of cases in GPA, up to 20% in EGPA, 20-30% in Behçet's disease and up to 25% in TAK, and several studies found high rates of preterm births, at least with some vasculitides. Vasculitis manifestations in newborns from mothers with known vasculitis are very rare and usually transient.

Granulomatous orchitis in a pre-pubertal school-aged child: differential diagnosis dilemmas

A 6-year-old male presented with testicular growth and persistent chronic orchiepididymitis with high inflammatory markers (C reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate). Biopsies of the testes and epididymides showed bilateral epididymal and testicular granulomata, testicular fibrosis and chronic inflammatory infiltration, and the histological diagnosis was granulomatous orchitis. The symptoms receded with oral corticosteroids. Although rare, granulomatous orchitis is a possible diagnosis in children presenting testicular enlargement. It is important to differentiate it from testicular tumors (if necessary with testicular biopsy) and to investigate its association with systemic vasculitis and infectious diseases.

Testicular vasculitis: findings differentiating isolated disease from systemic disease in 72 patients

Testicular vasculitis (TV) may be part of systemic (testicular) vasculitis (STV) or may exist as single-organ/isolated (testicular) vasculitis (ITV). In the current study we sought to identify clinical and histologic features that distinguish STV from ITV. The distinction was deemed important because it is already well established that in other forms of single organ vasculitis, surgical therapy alone may be curative. We identified patients with biopsy-proven TV from pathology databases from our institution and from an English-language PubMed search. Patients were included if data were available to determine TV extent confidently. Data recorded included clinical, laboratory, and histologic features; treatment; and clinical follow-up. The study included 72 patients with TV (mean age, 42 yr; range, 4-78 yr) (7 from our institution). About 74% of patients presented with painful testicular swelling/mass, 10% with a painless testicular swelling/mass, and 4% with epididymal swelling/mass. Eleven percent had no testicular complaints and vasculitis was discovered at autopsy or in other surgical interventions. Vasculitis involved the testicle in 80.3% of cases, the epididymis in 44.6%, and the spermatic cord in 30.6%. Thirty-seven (51%) patients had ITV and 35 (49%) had STV. No differences between ITV and STV patients were found in regards to age, presenting testicular features, duration of testicular symptoms, and time of follow-up. Compared to ITV patients, STV patients presented more often with constitutional/musculoskeletal symptoms (74.3% vs. 8.3%, respectively; p = 0.0001), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (94.7% vs. 16%; p = 0.0001), and anemia (50% vs. 0%; p = 0.0001). Neoplasm was more frequently suspected in ITV than in STV (74.2% vs. 31.6%; p = 0.001), but only occurred in 2 ITV patients. Long-term glucocorticoid therapy was given only to STV patients, and 59.1% of them also received cytotoxic agents. ITV was diagnosed more often by orchiectomy (81.1% vs. 42.9%; p = 0.001) and less frequently by testicular biopsy (2.7% vs. 28.6%; p = 0.003) than STV. Nongranulomatous inflammation affecting medium-sized vessels occurred in most patients with both ITV and STV. Among STV, polyarteritis nodosa was the most frequently diagnosed (63%), followed by Wegener granulomatosis (17%).In summary, TV occurs as ITV in men usually presenting with a testicular mass in the absence of systemic symptoms and normal laboratory results. In most ITV patients, a testicular neoplasm is initially suspected, and TV is an unexpected finding. After surgical removal, ITV does not require systemic therapy. Polyarteritis nodosa is the systemic vasculitis most frequently associated with testicular involvement.

Urogenital manifestations in Wegener granulomatosis: a study of 11 cases and review of the literature

We describe the main characteristics and treatment of urogenital manifestations in patients with Wegener granulomatosis (WG). We conducted a retrospective review of the charts of 11 patients with WG. All patients were men, and their median age at WG diagnosis was 53 years (range, 21-70 yr). Urogenital involvement was present at onset of WG in 9 cases (81%), it was the first clinical evidence of WG in 2 cases (18%), and was a symptom of WG relapse in 6 cases (54%). Symptomatic urogenital involvement included prostatitis (n = 4) (with suspicion of an abscess in 1 case), orchitis (n = 4), epididymitis (n = 1), a renal pseudotumor (n = 2), ureteral stenosis (n = 1), and penile ulceration (n = 1). Urogenital symptoms rapidly resolved after therapy with glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents. Several patients underwent a surgical procedure, either at the time of diagnosis (n = 3) (consisting of an open nephrectomy and radical prostatectomy for suspicion of carcinoma, suprapubic cystostomy for acute urinary retention), or during follow-up (n = 3) (consisting of ureteral double J stents for ureteral stenosis, and prostate transurethral resection because of dysuria). After a mean follow-up of 56 months, urogenital relapse occurred in 4 patients (36%). Urogenital involvement can be the first clinical evidence of WG. Some presentations, such as a renal or prostate mass that mimics cancer or an abscess, should be assessed to avoid unnecessary radical surgery. Urogenital symptoms can be promptly resolved with glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents. However, surgical procedures, such as prostatic transurethral resection, may be mandatory in patients with persistent symptoms.

Systemic vasculitis: a dual diagnosis?

The authors describe a 25-year-old male with systemic vasculitis fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for both granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis) and polyarteritis nodosa. The patient was diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis following a mediastinal biopsy which revealed necrotising granulomas of the large airways, a positive cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and high antiproteinase 3 antibody titre. He then developed acute right-sided abdominal and testicular pain as well as areas of hyperaesthesia and parasthesiae on both lower limbs. He was found to have focal crescentic glomerulonephritis and mononeuritis multiplex, in keeping with his diagnosis of granulomatosis with polyangiitis, as well as two areas of infarction in his right testicle and multiple aneurysms of his hepatic and right renal arteries, more typical of polyarteritis nodosa. His symptoms developed 6 weeks after hepatitis B vaccination, which may have played an aetiological role.

Aortic aneurysm and orchitis due to Wegener's granulomatosis

We present a patient with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) with involvement of the abdominal aorta, testis, peripheral nerve system, and skin. A 51-year-old man presented at our outpatient clinic with lower back pain. He had a history of smoking, hypertension, and an embryonal carcinoma of the left testis, treated 13 years ago with orchidectomy and chemotherapy. One month earlier, he underwent a partial orchidectomy of the right testis due to testicular swelling. Abdominal computed tomography showed a 3.8 cm wide aneurysm of the distal part of the aorta with inflammation. One week later he was admitted to the hospital with numbness of his hands and feet. Physical examination showed signs of peripheral microemboli. Serological laboratory tests revealed elevated antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody titers with positive reactions against proteinase-3, indicating Wegener's disease. The chest X-ray was normal. Pathological examination of the right testis showed necrotizing vasculitis of a small artery. He was treated with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone. WG with extrapulmonary involvement occurs infrequently, and reports of manifestations of WG in aorta, testis, the peripheral nerve system, and skin are even more uncommon. Small- and medium-vessel vasculitis can precede large-vessel vasculitis or occur in the absence of small-vessel involvement. Therefore, WG should be included in the work-up of large-vessel vasculitis, which can give rise to periaortic inflammation.

[Pregnancy and vasculitides]

Systemic vasculitides, like Takayasu's arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa, Wegener's granulomatosis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, Henoch-Schönlein purpura, or Behçet's disease can affect women of child-bearing years. The rarity of these vasculitides, their frequent fatal outcomes until recent years, and the use of toxic immunosuppressants to treat patients, contra-indicating pregnancy and/or potentially inducing hypofertility or sterility, explain the few pregnancies reported in the literature so far. Notably, it does not seem that pregnancy has a major impact on vasculitis outcome, in contrast with systemic lupus erythematosus, but a specialized management of these pregnant patients is mandatory. There are some reported cases of vasculitis revealed during pregnancy. Even though some of these pregnant patients had a severe disease and died, most of them had a favourable outcome, and a living inborn, providing prompt care and adequate treatment. When vasculitis is already known and treated, pregnancy should at best be planned, when the disease is in sustained remission and all toxic immunosuppressants have been stopped for months. Vasculitis sequella, like hypertension, renal insufficiency, or asthma, must also be taken into account, monitored and appropriately managed throughout the pregnancy and a few weeks following delivery. In case of vasculitis' flare during pregnancy, potential treatments include corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, azathioprine, plasma exchanges, and, for limited skin manifestations or Behçet's disease, hydroxychloroquine or colchicine. Importantly, when the disease is severe, a delay in the prescription of a stronger, immunosuppressant, chiefly intravenous cyclophosphamide, can be more detrimental, although being potentially toxic, for both the mother and the foetus than an ineffective and/or inappropriate regimen with less active drugs. Safety data on biologics, like rituximab, for pregnant women are very sparse to date and their use is therefore not recommended, unless confronted with a severe and refractory disease, and after referring to a specialized center for vasculitides.