title: Clinical and vascular features of Takayasu arteritis at the time of ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Takayasus arteritis (TA) is a systemic vasculitis whose clinical presentation varies from asymptomatic to serious neurovascular events, including stroke. However, few studies are currently available assessing stroke in TA. Thus, we described the clinical and laboratory characteristics and vascular imaging features in patients with TA at the time of stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a single center retrospective cohort study investigating the clinical and demographic data of 18 (15.0%) patients with a history of stroke confirmed by imaging methods, among 120 patients with TA, assessed in the 1985-2012 period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the 18 patients at the time of stroke was 29.4+/-10.9 years, with 94.4% female and 88.9% Caucasian. Of these patients, 14 (77.8%) had previous stroke at diagnosis of TA, while in four cases the stroke occurred after confirmed TA diagnosis. Regarding the clinical course, 12 (66.7%) had peripheral neurological sequelae and one patient died as a result of cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome after carotid revascularization.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed a high prevalence of stroke in TA and revealed most of these events occurred concomitantly with diagnosed TA. Moreover, although four patients had strokes after diagnosis of TA, these occurred at a young age, demonstrating they were most likely the result of vascular changes secondary to TA.
authors.forename: Luiz Eduardo
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: de Paula
authors.forename: Andrea Rocha
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Alverne
authors.forename: Samuel K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shinjo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology*; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*