The large vessel vasculitides were a major focus of the 21st International Vasculitis Workshop held in Barcelona in April. The biennial conference brings together specialists from multiple disciplines, including rheumatology, nephrology and immunology, to discuss cutting-edge vasculitis research. This article reviews important points regarding the pathogenesis, diagnosis and management of both giant cell arteritis and…
Andy Abril, MD, a lead author of the ACR/VF guideline for Takayasu arteritis (TAK), discusses the recommendations for TAK.
A 13-year-old, adopted girl of unknown ancestry with social anxiety, selective mutism and Takayasu arteritis presented for evaluation of severe, painful, gingival hyperplasia, which limited her oral intake and resulted in weight loss. The young patient was diagnosed with Takayasu arteritis at age 8, when she presented with a persistently elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR),…
For patients with refractory Takayasu arteritis (TAK), glucocorticoids (GCs) are often provided as the initial therapy for treatment. However, GCs are often associated with adverse effects for long-term use; relapse also occurs frequently during GC tapering.1 TAK involves interleukin (IL) 6. Tocilizumab—a recombinant, humanized, anti-IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) monoclonal antibody—was first reported by Nishimoto et al….
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Patients with suspected large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) should undergo early imaging, the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) advises in a new report presenting a dozen evidence-based recommendations for the use of imaging in primary LVV. Ultrasound should be the first choice for giant-cell arteritis (GCA), while MRI should take precedence for Takayasu arteritis…