Takayasu Arteritis with Dyslipidemia Increases Risk of Aneurysm

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Rheumatology
• Clinical Lipidology

Background:

• Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a known risk factor for abdominal aortic aneurysms.
• The association between elevated LDL-C and aneurysms in large vessel vasculitis, specifically Takayasu arteritis (TAK), remains under-investigated.
• Understanding risk factors for aneurysm formation in TAK is crucial for patient management and preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical and laboratory features of patients diagnosed with Takayasu arteritis (TAK).
• To identify and analyze risk factors associated with the development of aneurysms in TAK patients.
• To explore the specific role of elevated LDL-C levels in aneurysm formation within the TAK cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study analyzing data from 103 patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK).
• Comparison of clinical manifestations, laboratory parameters, and imaging results between TAK patients with and without aneurysms.
• Statistical analysis to identify risk factors for aneurysm formation, including LDL-C levels, disease duration, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate.

Main Results:

• Aneurysms were identified in 20.4% of the studied TAK patients.
• Patients with aneurysms exhibited significantly higher LDL-C levels compared to those without (2.9 ± 0.9 mmol/l vs. 2.4 ± 0.9 mmol/l, p=0.032).
• Elevated LDL-C was associated with a 5.8-fold increased risk of aneurysm formation (p=0.021), with a cutoff value of 3.08 mmol/l.

Conclusions:

• Elevated serum LDL-C levels are a significant risk factor for developing aneurysms in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK).
• Longer disease duration (>5 years) and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate were also associated with increased aneurysm risk.
• These findings underscore the importance of managing LDL-C levels in TAK patients to mitigate aneurysm development.