title: [Takayasu's arteritis in Tunisia: a monocentric study of 11 patients].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Takayasu's disease is a chronic inflammatory arteritis involving large vessels in young women.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the clinical, laboratory, and radiological features and course of Takayasu arteritis in Tunisia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study analyzed 11 patients with Takayasu arteritis between 1999 and 2010 who met the criteria for inclusion proposed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The file review identified 11 women, with a mean age at diagnosis of 29.1 years (range: 17-50 years). Our series included involvement of the aortic arch and its branches in 8 cases, while only 3 cases of the abdominal aorta. Arterial hypertension due to stenosis of the renal arteries was noted in 4 cases. Aortic insufficiency and pulmonary hypertension were noted in one case. In all, 3 patients had type I disease, 3 type V and one type IV. In all, 4 patients had glucocorticoid treatment, and one needed immunosuppressive therapy. Three patients required surgical intervention. Our patients were followed for a mean period of 67.5 months. Disease remained stable in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the small number of our patients, the clinical manifestations, angiographic data and course in our study were similar to those in other reported series.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital Habib Thameur, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Besma
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ben Dhaou
authors.forename: Zohra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Aydi
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boussema
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ben Dahmen
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baili
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ketari
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kochbati
authors.forename: Ouahida
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cherif
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rokbani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult