Idiopathic Aortitis With Retroperitoneal Fibrosis Course and Its Treatment

Aortitis is an inflammatory phenomenon involving one or more layers of the aorta and can have infectious or noninfectious etiologies. Complications of aortitis include aneurysm, dissection, and rupture, which can lead to ischemic organs and ultimately death. Noninfectious aortitis is often secondary to trauma or results from a systemic inflammatory process. It is further categorized based on clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and imaging. There are some cases in which the etiology cannot be determined and is, therefore, idiopathic in nature. We present a case of a 67-year-old male who presented with malaise, abdominal pain, anorexia, and significant weight loss for several months. Imaging revealed retroperitoneal fibrosis and aortitis. After an extensive workup, we diagnosed idiopathic aortitis and treated the patient with high-dose corticosteroids that led to symptom improvement.