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Published on: May 16, 2025
[Takayasu arteritis in southern Tunisia: a study of 29 patients]
Manel Kechaou1, Makram Frigui, Mohamed Ben Hmida
1Service de medicine interne, CHU Hédi Chaker, Sfax, Tunisie. manelkch@yahoo.fr
Objectives:
This study aimed to assess the clinical, laboratory, and radiological features and course of Takayasu arteritis in Tunisia.
Methods:
This retrospective study analyzed 29 patients with Takayasu arteritis between 1996 and 2006 who met the criteria for inclusion proposed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Results:
The file review identified 25 women and 4 men, with a mean age at diagnosis of 35.4 years (range: 18-65 years). Our series included 93% with involvement of the aortic arch and its branches, while only 24% involved renal arteries and 21% the abdominal aorta. We had no case with cardiac or pulmonary involvement. In all, 67.7% had type I disease, 10.7% type IIb, 3.6% type IV and 25% type V. Hypertension was recorded in 38%. No tuberculosis was observed. In all, 22 patients (75.8%) had glucocorticoid treatment, and 5 (17.2%) needed immunosuppressive therapy. Two patients with renal artery stenosis had endoluminal angioplasty and four patients (13.7%) required surgical intervention. Our patients were followed for a mean period of 80 months. Disease remained stable in 18 patients (64.2%).
Conclusion:
The clinical manifestations, angiographic data and course of our patients were similar to those in other reported series. We found no relation between Takayasu arteritis and tuberculosis.
