Accelerated Atherosclerosis in Takayasu Disease: Case-Control Study

Aim: The aim of our study was to evaluate the atherosclerosis prevalence in Takayasu’s disease. Patients and Method: We analyzed prospectively in a case-control study a group of 64 patients with Takayasu disease aged 41 years [±11.94], a group of 50 rhumatoide arthritis (RA) patients. All women aged 45 years [±10.27] and a control group with an average age of 44 years [±12.63]. We performed a measurement of the intima-media thickness (IMT) in carotid level and we looked for the presence of carotid, aortic and femoral atheroma. Results: We found more plaques of atheroma in the Takayasu group; the carotid intima-media thickness was significantly higher in the Takayasu group and the RA group compared with the control group. The mean IMT of the Takayasu group was 0.91 mm [±0.368]. It was 0.76 mm [±0.151] for the RA group. And 0.71 mm [±0.141] for the controls. (P: 0.000). CRP > 12 mg was identified as the most strongly associated with the development of accelerated atherosclerosis in Takayasu’s disease and RA (p: 0.002) with an odds ratio of 14.5 (IC: 95%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of atherosclerosis discovered in Takayasu’s disease is not explained by the traditional vascular risk factors. It is not also explained by the corticoids and immuno-suppression treatments. The systemic inflammation associated with parietal local inflammation, observed in Takayasu arteritis appears to be responsible of premature and accelerated atherosclerosis.