| pubmed-article:1808605 | pubmed:abstractText | 54 cases of Wegener's granulomatosis published in Polish literature in 1959-1990 are presented. There were 37 women and 17 men from 17 to 70 years of age. The diagnosis was histologically proved during life in 30 cases and by autopsy in 14 others. In 10 patients it was based on clinical symptoms only. Diagnosis was established after 1 months to 4 years of symptoms, mean equals 10.3 months. The delay of diagnosis was caused by the ineffectiveness of biopsy, usually from the upper airways and also by the wrong interpretation of histopathological pictures. All patients had upper airways disease, 56% of patients had lung involvement, 66% renal lesions, 37%--eye changes, 35% skin lesions and 11%--nervous system involvement. In addition in 83% of patients systemic symptoms were observed. The prognosis of WG ameliorate with the time of publications due to cyclophosphamide and other cytotoxic drugs introduction to WG treatment. | lld:pubmed |
