Department of Emergency Medicine

UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Takayasu Arteritis (TA)

Category: Cardiology

Posted: 4/7/2013 by Semhar Tewelde, MD
Click here to contact Semhar Tewelde, MD

 

  • Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a granulomatous vasculitis that affects the aorta and its major branches
  • Involvement of the aortic arch is associated w/CNS symptoms, claudication, absent peripheral pulses, and cardiac manifestations
  • The EULAR/PReS consensus criteria for Dx of childhood TA requires characteristic angiographic abnormalities of the aorta plus 1 of the following:
  1. Absent peripheral pulses or claudication
  2. Blood pressure discrepancy in any limb
  3. Bruits
  4. Hypertension
  5. Elevated acute phase reactants
  • Gold standard for Dx is angiography; however, CT and MR angiograms are less invasive and can detect inflammation & luminal diameter changes 
  • Tx is challenging, steroids may induce remission in up to 60%
 

References

Weiss P, et al. Pediatric vasculitis. The Pediatric clinics of North America. April 2012:59;2:407-423.


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