[Historical vignettes. History of vasculitis].

This article gives a summary of the history of vasculitis through early and past descriptions. Known, reported and depicted since time immemorial those diseases are quite polymorphous, depending on type and localization of the affected vessels. Clear classification criteria were finally laid down at the end of the XXth century giving a new impulse as well to the detection and the identification of specific biological markers as to the way to treat effectively those severe diseases.