Clinical and imaging profile of patients with takayasu arteritis – a review of case records

Background: Takayasu arteritis is a rare chronic inflammatory granulomatous vasculitis involving the aorta and its major branches which leads to intimal fibrosis and narrowing of the vessels. Different patterns of involvement of the arterial system in patients have been reported from various parts of the world. Clinical presentations may vary according to the vessels involved.
Methods: Review of the case records of the patients fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for Takayasu arteritis that attended the Rheumatology clinic during the period from June 2013 to October 2019 was done and the data were analysed .We have done the literature review and compared our data with the other studies done in various parts of the world.
Results: There were 64 patients with a male, female ratio of 1:4 .Mean age at the time of diagnosis was 29.25±9.9 yrs. There were 4 children. Claudication pain was seen in 50% of patients. Absent or feeble pulse was noted in 75% of the patients. Acute phase reactants were elevated in 60% of patients. Type I angiographic type was seen in 27% followed by Type V in 25% of patients.
Conclusion: Commonest clinical presentation was claudication pain. Cardiac involvement was found to be the commonest systemic complication with valvular regurgitation being the commonest lesion. Angiographic type I was found to be the commonest type.