Abstract

Introduction: Takayasu arteritis is a rare vasculitic disorder predominantly affecting young women, characterized by inflammation of the aorta and its major branches usually seen in the East Asian population. Due to its varied clinical presentation, early diagnosis remains challenging, necessitating a high index of suspicion.

Case Report: A 29-year-old South Indian female presented with exertional dyspnea to the emergency department and was initially diagnosed and treated as middle lobe pneumonia. Further physical and laboratory evaluations done at that time were unremarkable. Following successful treatment, she remained largely asymptomatic and sought evaluation at the local clinic due to elevated blood pressure detected during home monitoring. On work up of hypertension Echocardiography was done which showed unusual wall thickening of the ascending aorta and mild aortic regurgitation .CT aortogram was then done which revealed aortic thickening and left renal artery stenosis. Confirmation of takayasu arteritis was achieved through PET-CT imaging at a higher tertiary care centre, leading to initiation of immunosuppressive therapy and subsequent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty stenting of the left renal artery.

Conclusions: A high index of suspicion is crucial in young females with unusual presentations especially in the South Indian population where the disease is not prevalent. Due to financial constraints it is very likely that appropriate imaging is not done in cases where takayasu arteritis is not suspected by the treating physician. Lack of appropriate work up of hypertension can result in missed diagnoses which can lead to potentially disastrous side effects to the disease

Keywords: Takayasu arteritis, young female, vasculitis, immunosuppressive therapy, angioplasty.