Case Report

Necrotizing Granulomatous Vasculitis Associated with Cocaine Use

ELIE GERTNER and DAVE HAMLAR

ABSTRACT.

Cocaine abuse may be associated with a destructive nasal and pharyngeal process felt to be due to ischemia secondary to vasoconstriction. This report is the first to document a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis associated with nasal destruction and an oronasal fistula in a chronic cocaine user. Cocaine is an environmental insult that may play a role in triggering cerebral and non-cerebral vasculitis including a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis of the respiratory tract. (J Rheumatol 2002;29:1795-7)

Key Indexing Terms:

NECROTIZING
GRANULOMATOUS VASCULITIS
COCAINE

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From the Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School; Section of Rheumatology, and Department of Otolaryngology, Regions Hospital, St. Paul, MN, USA.

E. Gertner, MD, Section of Rheumatology, Regions Hospital, University of Minnesota Medical School; D. Hamlar Jr., MD, DDS, Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, Department of Otolaryngology, Regions Hospital.

Address reprint requests to Dr. E. Gertner, Regions Hospital, 640 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN, 55101-2595, USA.

Submitted August 27, 2001; revision accepted November 8, 2001.

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