Takayasu Arteritis is Associated with Impaired Arterial Stiffness: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Takayasu arteritis, a large vessel vasculitis, is strongly associated with increased risk for cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease. Arterial stiffness represents an established prognostic marker of cardiovascular disease development in the general population. A few studies have assessed the effect of Takayasu arteritis on arterial stiffness indices. Herein, we sought to provide pooled effect estimates regarding the impact of Takayasu arteritis on arterial stiffness, by retrieving relevant, available observational studies.

On 1^st May, 2022, we searched two major electronic databases and grey literature sources for relevant observational studies. We set as primary outcome the mean difference in carotid femoral PWV (cfPWV) between patients with Takayasu arteritis compared to controls.

Regarding the primary outcome, we pooled data from 3 studies in a total of 125 enrolled subjects, demonstrating that Takayasu arteritis is associated with a significant increase in cfPWV by 2.06 m/s (MD = 2.06, 95% CI; 1.29 - 2.83, I² = 0%, p < 0.001), compared to controls.

The present preliminary meta-analysis demonstrates the potential deleterious effects of Takayasu arteritis on arterial stiffness. Prognostic implications must be confirmed in larger, prospective studies.