Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegner’s) Triggered by a Vaccine

Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener’s Granulomatosis, is a rare but serious disease that causes inflammation of blood vessels.  It sometimes even leads to organ failure if it goes untreated.

GPA most commonly affects the blood vessels inside your kidneys, ears, nose, sinuses, throat, and lungs.  If you develop this disease, your blood vessels in these areas become inflamed, constricted, and covered in tissue masses called granulomas.  This restricts the ability to carry blood, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and even death.

GPA is classified under a group of diseases called “vasculitis,” which causes swelling in the blood vessels.  Studies show that patients develop certain types of vasculitis, including GPA, after getting vaccines.

The influenza (flu) vaccine is most commonly linked to granulomatosis with polyangiitis.  Research shows that patients can develop granulomatosis with polyangiitis one to four weeks after getting the flu vaccine.

Patients who developed granulomatosis with polyangiitis after receiving a vaccine may be eligible for compensation from the federal government.  Our lawyers will take your case at no cost to you.

How do Vaccines Cause Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis?

One possibility is that vaccine ingredients called “adjuvants,” which are used to prolong your body’s self-defense response after getting a vaccine, actually overstimulate your immune system.  Unintentionally, these may cause your body’s immune system to act as if you were actually being infected instead of just getting a harmless vaccine.  This could then lead to the inflamed blood vessels seen in GPA (Duggal et al).

Another potential cause is that the brief inflammation caused by a vaccine triggers an exaggerated immune response and causes GPA symptoms (Duggal et al).

Symptoms

The symptoms of granulomatosis with polyangiitis vary depending on the severity of the case and which organs have been affected.  Although GPA can technically affect any part of the body, the most commonly affected areas are the upper respiratory system (which includes the trachea, sinuses, ears, and nose), the lungs, and the kidneys.

If you have experienced any of the following symptoms and have recently received a vaccine (especially a flu vaccine), you may be eligible to receive compensation from the Federal Vaccine Court and should contact lawyers with experience in vaccine injury cases.  Symptoms include Coughing, sometimes with blood, shortness of breath, wheezing, fever, fatigue, joint pain, numbness in limbs, fingers, and toes, weight loss, blood in urine, and more.

Which Vaccines are Linked to Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis?

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, is a database that tracks reactions to vaccination.  On the right, a list shows the more common vaccines associated with GPA.

• Hepatitis B (Hep B)
• Influenza Vaccine
• Pneumococcal Vaccine
• Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine (TDaP)

Treatment

Normally, corticosteroids are prescribed to reduce inflammation as well as medication to suppress the immune system. The most common treatments for GPA include methotrexate, prednisone, cyclophosphamide, and/or Bactrim.

In some cases, blood transfusions are required. Some of these treatments may have serious side effects that should be considered. Consulting with a physician as early as possible is key to a good prognosis.