title: Non-specific arteritis ofhe aorta and its main branches.
abstract: Four cases of non-specific arteritis involving the aorta and its main branches are described. Three of the cases were hypertensive and one of these had evidence of aortic incompetence. Cases 1, 2, and 3 had involvement of the aortic arch vessels and the descending aorta, whereas Case 4 presented as a coarctation of the abdominal aorta. There was a significant association with systemic disturbance such as polyarthritis, fever, weight loss, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and hyperglobulinaemia. A detailed necropsy in Case 2 showed two large dissecting aneurysms. The nomenclature, the diagnostic criteria, and a probable pathogenesis of the disease are discussed with reference to the relevant published material.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000150:complications; D000792:Angiography; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology; D001015:Aortic Arch Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000150:complications; D001018:Aortic Diseases; D001167:Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000150:complications