[Takayasu's disease. Spontaneous course and treatment (author's transl)]

The natural history of Takayasu's disease remains a highly controversial subject. Whereas for some authors it is a progressive disorder with an extremely poor vital prognosis requiring aggressive medical or surgical treatment, for others it runs a slow course with few symptoms, and has a relatively good prognosis, depending on the presence of four factors: arterial hypertension and its cardiovascular, renal, and cerebral complications, retinopathy, aortic incompetence, and aneurysmal lesions. Based on the presence or absence of these complications, the disease can be classified as benign, moderately progressive, or severe forms, therapy, including surgery, being adapted to the type of affection present.