One Stem at a Time: High-Yield Board Review for Medical Students
Rheumatology Part 3: Vasculitis
Today we covered eight of the most testable vasculitides by recognizing their clinical patterns instead of memorizing isolated facts. If you can distinguish upper airway disease, asthma, hepatitis associations, vessel size, ANCA status, and immune complex deposition, you'll be able to answer the vast majority of vasculitis questions on Step 1, Step 2, COMLEX, and Internal Medicine shelf exams. Until next time, keep studying one stem at a time. In Episode 3 of our Rheumatology Review Series, we tackle one of the highest-yield topics in rheumatology: vasculitis . Rather than memorizing endless lists, this episode focuses on recognizing the clinical patterns that let you diagnose vasculitis quickly on USMLE Step 1, Step 2, COMLEX, and Internal Medicine shelf exams . We break down the major large-, medium-, and small-vessel vasculitides, including: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) – c-ANCA/PR3, sinus disease, cavitary lung nodules, and pauci-immune glomerulonephritis Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) – p-ANCA/MPO, pulmonary hemorrhage, and RPGN without granulomatous disease Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) – asthma, eosinophilia, neuropathy, and cardiac involvement Giant cell arteritis (GCA) – headache, jaw claudication, vision loss, and its connection to polymyalgia rheumatica Takayasu arteritis – the classic young woman with diminished pulses and unequal blood pressures Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) – medium-vessel disease, microaneurysms, neuropathy, hypertension, and hepatitis B IgA vasculitis – palpable purpura, abdominal pain, arthralgias, and renal disease Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis – hepatitis C, palpable purpura, neuropathy, low C4, and positive rheumatoid factor We'll also cover: Pauci-immune vs. immune complex vasculitis ANCA patterns and their antigen targets The organ involvement you can't afford to miss Induction and maintenance immunosuppression PCP prophylaxis during immunosuppressive therapy High-yield board pearls and rapid-fire questions By the end of the episode, you'll have a framework for recognizing vasculitis based on vessel size, organ involvement, ANCA status, immune complexes, and key clinical associations —instead of relying on memorized lists. Learn medicine one clinical vignette at a time. Follow One Stem at a Time for more board-review episodes covering high-yield topics for medical students and residents.
