Angiographic features of 26 children with Takayasu's arteritis.
BACKGROUND
Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease affecting primarily the aorta, its proximal branches and the pulmonary arteries.


OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively review the angiograms of children with TA so as to describe the patterns of vascular involvement.


METHODS
Twenty-six children with TA who differed from most other studies in that almost all of them presented with hypertension, reflecting the incidence of abdominal aortic and renal artery involvement.


RESULTS
The most consistent finding was stenosis of the aorta. Marginal irregularity/undulation of the aorta was also a useful angiographic diagnostic feature in subtle disease. The incidence of aneurysms was high compared to other studies and both fusiform and saccular aneurysms were encountered. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) was successful in all eight patients in whom it was performed. MRI, CT angiography and US are discussed as less invasive imaging alternatives. TA is a significant cause of renovascular hypertension in children in South Africa where there is a high incidence of tuberculous infection. Knowledge of the angiographic features and pattern of aortic involvement is essential for diagnosis and initiation of early and appropriate treatment, including PTA.
McCulloch
Mignon
M
Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, School of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch 7700, Cape Town, South Africa. MCCULL@ich.uht.ac.za
Andronikou
Savvas
S
Goddard
Elizabeth
E
Sinclair
Paul
P
Lawrenson
John
J
Mandelstam
Simone
S
Beningfield
Steve J
SJ
Millar
Alastair J J W
AJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001027:Aortography; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy