[A patient with Takayasu arteritis and protein C and AT III deficiency]

A 24-year-old patient was admitted to our hospital because of vertigo, coldness and exercise-dependent pain in the left arm. She reported to have suffered from tuberculosis of the lung and a non-A-non-B hepatitis five years ago. Angiography of the aorta thoracica revealed a complete obstruction of the left arteria (a.) subclavia, stenosis of the a. carotis communis on both sides, of the a. carotis interna and the a. vertebralis on the left side as well as a non-detectable perfusion of the upper and medium segment of the left lung. ESR was elevated with 89/128 mm n.W., a hypochromic anaemia, thrombocytosis, hypalbuminaemia, elevation of alpha 2 and gammaglobulins in serum as well as a reduced quick value were found. AT III and protein C concentrations in plasma were also decreased, whereby protein C activity was reduced additionally. HLA-B-51 was positive. Takayasu's arteriitis was diagnosed by us. High-dose treatment with corticosteroids led to a considerable improvement of the clinical status and laboratory parameters of the patient. As this therapy was not associated with a normalization of protein C and AT III concentrations in plasma, protein C and AT III deficiency could be of significance in the development of Takayasu's arteriitis. Until now protein C and AT III deficiency were not described in patients with Takayasu's arteriitis.