[Infectious or inflammatory aortitis? One case report].
BACKGROUND
The infectious or inflammatory nature of an aortitis is difficult to assert because the microbiological results are often negative. The development of an aneurysm under treatment is rare, but requires a change in the therapeutic strategy and the etiologic diagnosis needs to be discussed again.


METHODS
We report the case of a 69-year-old woman treated by corticotherapy for an aortitis thought to be inflammatory, who required emergency surgery when a dissected aneurysm appeared. The peroperative samples were positive to Streptococcus pneumoniae using polymerase chain reaction and allowed a change of the diagnosis. The patient evolved favorably under antibiotic therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The decision to treat an aortitis by corticotherapy must be made with caution even if the microbiological tests are negative.
Benhamou
Y
Y
Département de Médecine Interne, CHU de Rouen-Bois-Guillaume, 76031 Rouen Cedex, France. ygalben@wanadoo.fr
Plissonnier
D
D
Cailleux
N
N
Pons
J-L
JL
Richard
C
C
Watelet
J
J
Marie
I
I
Lévesque
H
H
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D001025:Aortitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D015242:Ofloxacin