[Nonspecific aorto-arteritis. Anatomo-pathological study of 18 cases]

The present study comprises a pathological review of 18 necropsy cases with nonspecific aorto-arteritis (Takayasu's disease), autopsied at the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología of Mexico up to 1976. There were 11 females and 7 males with an average age at the time of death of 21.5 years. A comparison according to the distribution and extention of arterial lesions disclosed that our cases are often less classical than those described from Japan. The principal arterial changes were stenosis, occlusion, dilatation and aneurysm formation in the aorta, its branches and main pulmonary artery. More often than not the aorta was extensively involved. The aortic arch syndrome and renovascular hypertension were almost equally present in this serie and an unusual high incidence of coronary artery involvement (33%) leading to myocardial infarction (50%) also was observed. The significance of the intrapulmonary vascular changes in Takayasu's arteritis is discussed.