Takayasu arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly involves the aorta and its main branches. The inflammatory process in the early stage consists of infiltration of lymphocytes and monocytes predominantly into the adventitia and outer third of the media.
Our recent national survey of the patients of Takayasu arteritis (n=897) in 1998 revealed that the most patients were in their SOs, which was different from the first survey in 1978 in which it was those in their 20s. On the contrary, our survey still showed that the average age of the onset of the disease in female patients was in their 20s, which was the same as in the previous survey.
Episodes of ischemic heart disease, dissecting aneurysm and rupture of the aorta are increasing in Takayasu arteritis patients even in those still in the 40s or 50s Histological examination confirms the progression of atherosclerotic lesions in the distracted fibrous media caused by Takayasu arteritis even if the patients are free from other risk factors for atherosclerosis such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and smoking.
These results suggest the improvement of the prognosis of Takayasu arteritis is due to early diagnosis and treatment of the arteritis and, at the same time, the arteritis causes the increase of atherosclerotic disorders. Therefore, inflammation caused by the arteritis could be another risk factor for causeing and accelerating atherosclerosis.
