title: Serum amyloid A is a useful marker to evaluate the disease activity of Takayasu's arteritis.
abstract: Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a rare large vessel vasculitis that is difficult to diagnose in the early stages. Therefore, it is also very difficult to manage and prevent irreversible vascular damage in TA. A 19-year-old female patient with back pain was examined using [(18)F]-FDG-PET to detect the source of inflammation. Specific accumulation of [(18)F]-FDG was observed in the thoracic and abdominal aorta, leading to the diagnosis of TA. Corticosteroid treatment resulted in clinical remission. However, the serum amyloid A (SAA) levels remained elevated. A follow-up scan showed residual uptake of [(18)F]-FDG in the thoracic aorta suggesting subclinical vascular inflammation. Methotrexate was combined with the corticosteroid, and the elevated levels of SAA became normalized. The present case suggests that monitoring serum levels of SAA and [(18)F]-FDG-PET could help clinicians to make adequate treatment adjustments in TA patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, NHO National Nagasaki Medical Center, Kubara 2-1001-1, Omura, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishino
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Makiyama
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayashida
authors.forename: Taichiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.forename: Yasumori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eguchi
authors.forename: Kiysohi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Migita
mesh_terms: D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D011239:Prednisolone; D008727:Methotrexate