[Successful pregnancy in a patient with Takayasu's Arteritis: a case report]

ABSTRACT

Takayasu's arteritis, so-called pulseless disease, is a syndrome mostly seen in young women. It is a chronic inflammatory arteritis affecting large vessels. It is associated with abnormal angiography of the upper aorta and its main branches, resulting in vascular impairment in the upper extremities. This report presents a case of successful pregnancy in a patient with Takayasu's arteritis. The patient was a 36 years old G2P1 woman. Her first child was delivered by cesarean section. She was suffering from Takayasu's arteritis and was treated with prednisolone since 7 years ago. She had an unplanned pregnancy after expulsion of IUD. In her past medical history, in addition to Takayasu's arteritis involving subclavian artery, an iodine 131 ablation for treatment of hyperthyroidism was noticed. She was first sought medical attention at 8th week of pregnancy and as she had normal cardiopulmonary and renal functions, the pregnancy was continued. Subtotal thyroidectomy was performed at 10th week of gestation following a suspicious FNA showing a cold thyroid nodule. She was then treated with thyroxine in addition to prednisolone to control the post-thyroidectomy hypothyroidism. At 37th week, her pregnancy was terminated by cesarean section with epidural analgesia because of reduction of amniotic fluid index and a BPS of 8/10