Abstract
Background
Vasculitis may cause inflammation in any single or group of blood vessels. Traditionally,
giant cell arteritis involves the extracranial branches of the carotid, and Takayasu
arteritis affects the aorta and its major branches. These diseases are quite rare,
but have the potential to be fatal.
Objectives
We describe the spectrum of overlap between these two historically distinct diseases,
and use a case of a man with arteritis involving his carotid and vertebral vessels,
aorta, and coronary arteries to illustrate this. We posit that large-vessel vasculitis
should be considered in the differential for young and middle-aged patients presenting
with multiple vascular events.
Case Report
Over a 2-month period, a 46-year-old man presented on four separate occasions to the
Emergency Department. Each time, he was diagnosed with a vascular event. His first
two visits were for myocardial infarction and unstable angina, his third visit was
for a cerebrovascular event, and his fourth visit was for aortitis. He was not diagnosed
with the underlying vasculitic process until his last visit. He ultimately succumbed
to non-aneurysmal aortic rupture from his aortitis.
Conclusions
In middle-aged persons with multiple vascular events, an underlying inflammatory process
should be considered. These diseases are rare, but they are treatable; and missed
diagnoses can be catastrophic.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 05, 2010
Accepted:
May 19,
2010
Received in revised form:
February 28,
2010
Received:
January 9,
2010
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
