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Takayasu arteritis: clinical and CT-angiography profile of 25 patients and a brief review of literature.

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical profile, complications, site of involvement, and spectrum of CT Angiography (CTA) abnormalities in patients of Takayasu arteritis (TA).


MATERIALS AND METHODS
From August 2005 to December 2006, 25 patients of TA were studied for their presenting features, pattern of vascular involvement, and spectrum of CTA abnormalities. Vascular involvement by imaging was correlated with clinical features.


RESULTS
In all, 25 patients-(18 females, 7 males) were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 21.5 years (12-38) with a mean delay of 4.5 years (6 months7ndash;6 years) before diagnosis. Symptoms included fever in 8 (32%), malaise in 15 (60%), hypertension in 18 (72%), and pulselessness in 20 (80%) patients.The laboratory findings included elevated ESR in 15 (60%), elevated CRP in 5 (20%), and positive mantoux test in 5 (20%) patients. Almost all patients had multiple sites of arterial involvement documented by CTA with various combinations of stenosis, luminal irregularities, and aneurysm formation. TA - Type V was the most common type found in our study.


CONCLUSION
TA is a rare disease with a myriad of presentations. Delay in diagnosis is frequent but can be avoided by detailed physical examination including vascular system examination. CTA is very useful for detailed vascular evaluation of patients with TA.