Evaluation of Pulmonary Vessels Involvement in Takayasu's Arteritis Patients: A Case Series

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency PH in a series of TA.Materials and methods: Patients with Confirmed TA from Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic of Medical University enrolled into the study. demographic data and clinical features were collected. index of right heart function and pulmonary artery pressure was measured via transthoracic echocardiography and patients were categorized according to probability of PH. pulmonary function tests was also performed.Results: A total of 9 female TA patient with Mean±SD age at examination of 40.7±11.8 years were evaluated. two patients (22%) had TRV>3.4 m/sec considered high probability for PH in which pulmonary arteritis confirmed with RHC and CTPA. No difference in age, ESR and duration of disease were seen between those with and those without PH. In the respiratory function tests VC, FEV1/FVC, TLC were within the normal limits and no difference was noted between two group except RV and RV/TLC which tend to be higher in PH group(P=0.078). Patients with PH had significantly lower TAPSE, TAPSE/RVSP, FEV1, DLCO(P=0.04) and higher RAA(P=0.04) and WHO FC(P=0.011) in comparison to group without PH