Cerebrovascular Ischemic Events in Patients With Takayasu Arteritis

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a large vessel vasculitis that may complicate with cerebrovascular ischemic events. The objective was to describe clinical and vascular features of TA patients with cerebrovascular ischemic events and to identify risk factors for these events.

We analyzed the prevalence and type of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), factors associated with cerebrovascular ischemic events, and stroke-free survival in a large cohort fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology or Ishikawa criteria of TA.

Among 320 patients with TA (median age at diagnosis, 36 [25-47] years; 261 [86%] women), 63 (20%) had a stroke (n=41; 65%) or TIA (n=22; 35%). Ischemic event localized in the carotid territory for 55 (87%) patients and the vertebral artery territory in 8 (13%) patients. Multiple stenosis were observed in 33 (52%) patients with a median number of stenosis of 2 (minimum, 0 to maximum, 11), and aneurysms were observed in 10 (16%) patients. A history of stroke or TIA before TA diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR], 4.50 [2.45-8.17]; P<0.0001), smoking (HR, 1.75 [1.01-3.02]; P=0.05), myocardial infarction history (HR, 0.21 [0.05-0.89]; P=0.039), thoracic aorta involvement (HR, 2.05 [1.30-3.75]; P=0.023), time from first symptoms to diagnosis >1 year (HR, 2.22 [1.30-3.80]; P=0.005), and aspirin treatment (HR, 1.82 [1.04-3.19]; P=0.035) were associated with cerebrovascular ischemic event. In multivariate analysis, time from first symptoms to TA diagnosis >1 year (HR, 2.16 [1.27-3.70]; P=0.007) was independently associated with cerebrovascular ischemic events in patients with TA. The HR for cerebrovascular ischemic event in patients who already experienced a stroke/TIA was 5.11 (2.91-8.99; P<0.0001), compared with those who had not.

Carotid stroke/TIA is frequent in TA. We identified factors associated with cerebrovascular ischemic events.