Clinical analysis of Takayasu's arteritis with cerebral infarction / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the clinical features and treatment of the patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA) with cerebral infarction.Methods Retrospective analysis was done in 14 TA patients with cerebral infarction from 1998 to 2003.Results The patients with TA complicated with cerebral infarction accounted for 10.6%(14/132) of all the hospitalized patients with TA.The time from cerebral infarction to the symptom onset of TA was 1 month to 15 years.In all the cases,there were more than 3 branches stenosis or occlusion of aortic arch and hemiparalysis.Basal ganglion was the most frequently involved infarction area.Corticosteroid and cytotoxic drugs were effective therapy.Conclusion The cases of TA with cerebral infarction have extensive arterial lesions.We must pay attention to it to avoid misdiagnosis.The key point of treatment is to control the primary disease.