How is central nervous system vasculitis treated?

How is central nervous system vasculitis treated?

CNS vasculitis is usually treated in stages.

The initial stage is known as induction therapy. Here high-dose steroids are usually administrated, often intravenously, with or without other immunosuppressive medications such as cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil medication that decreases the immune system's response to autoimmune diseases. Then steroids are tapered off over six months.

When a person is in remission they enter in a maintenance phase where cyclophosphamide (if used in the induction phase) is switched to other immunosuppressive medication such as mycophenelate mofetil. Low dose steroid may be used in the maintenance phase. Treatment must be continued for a prolonged period, sometimes for life.

If the patient has another illness (such as lupus) or systemic vasculitis, then treatment should also include guidelines for the specific condition.