Left ventricular apical aneurysm in Takayasu arteritis and chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterized by a large vessel vasculitis involving the aorta and its branches. Myocardial involvement is extremely unusual in TA and is mostly in the form of myocarditis, ventricular hypertrophy, and ventricular dysfunction secondary to coronary ischemia. Submitral aneurysms have been reported in TA and has been attributed to the chronic inflammatory process in TA. CASE PRESENTATION We report a novel instance of left ventricular apical aneurysm in a 37-year-old lady with TA and normal epicardial coronaries. She was diagnosed with a left ventricular apical aneurysm, moderate aortic regurgitation, and moderate pericardial effusion. The coronary arteries were normal. The patient had concomitant chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection complicating patient outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Left ventricular apical aneurysm with normal epicardial coronaries is a rare cause of heart failure in Takayasu arteritis. Concomitant chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection can potentially accentuate the inflammatory process in Takayasu arteritis and complicate management and patient outcomes.