Clinical Pearls and Myths in Vasculitis

Takayasu’s Arteritis: PearlJust as the tearing of the aorta that occurs in dissections can result inthoracic back pain, inflammation within the aortic wall can lead tosimilar, although generally less dramatic, symptomsIn some patients, thoracic back pain is the chief complaint.Most patients also have other more common manifestations of thedisease (e.g., fever of unknown origin, loss of a pulse, new-onsethypertension, aortic regurgitation, claudication in an arm or leg)Still, unfamiliarity with thoracic back pain as a manifestation of Takayasu’sarteritis (TA) can delay making the diagnosis