Neurologic effects of Wegeners granulomatosis
What are the neurologic effects of Wegener’s granulomatosis?
Wegener’s granulomatosis presents as a triad of focal segmental glomerulonephritis, granulomas of the respiratory tract, and necrotizing vasculitis.
Up to 67% of patients will have peripheral nervous system (PNS) involvement, with sensorimotor polyneuropathy and mononeuritis multiplex as the most common manifestations.
Most PNS involvement develops within 2 years of disease onset.
CNS manifestations are commonly the result of granulomatous invasion from the sinuses or nasal passages and may appear as exophthalmos, pituitary disease, or basilar meningitis with cranial neuropathies.
The most common cranial neuropathy is of the optic nerve due to orbital granulomatous masses. Up to 5% of patients will have ICH secondary to either focal vasculitis or intragranulomatous hemorrhage.
