Aortic valve regurgitation as the presenting sign of Takayasu arteritis.
Takayasu arteritis is a rare chronic vasculitis primarily involving the aorta and its main branches. We report an adolescent girl with Takayasu arteritis who presented with an isolated aortic valve regurgitation as part of a systemic inflammatory process. This patient was initially misdiagnosed as having rheumatic heart disease and the correct diagnosis was made only 1 year later.


CONCLUSIONS
Takayasu arteritis should be considered among the diagnostic possibilities in patients who present with an unexplained systemic inflammatory syndrome and a cardiac murmur.
Ravelli
A
A
Clinica Pediatrica, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
Pedroni
E
E
Perrone
S
S
Tramarin
R
R
Martini
A
A
Burgio
G R
GR
D000293:Adolescent; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*