Aortitis Presenting as Fever of Unknown Origin

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Rheumatology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Aortitis, an inflammation of the aorta, often presents with nonspecific symptoms like fever.
• This can lead to diagnostic dilemmas, delayed treatment, and unnecessary investigations.
• Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is a common, yet challenging, presentation of aortitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of recognizing aortitis in patients with FUO.
• To describe the clinical and pathological features of various aortitis types presenting with FUO.
• To discuss differential diagnosis and management strategies for aortitis presenting as FUO.

Main Methods:

• Review of clinical and pathological features of aortitis.
• Focus on specific types: giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, and infective aortitis.
• Discussion of diagnostic challenges and management protocols.

Main Results:

• Aortitis, including giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, and infective aortitis, can manifest as FUO.
• Nonspecific constitutional symptoms and fever are key indicators.
• Misdiagnosis can lead to delayed treatment and adverse outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Recognizing aortitis as a cause of FUO is critical for clinicians.
• Early diagnosis and appropriate management of aortitis prevent complications.
• Understanding the diverse presentations of aortitis improves patient outcomes.