Clinical Management and Quality of Life in a Patient with Takayasu Arteritis: A Case Report
Abstract
Introduction: Takayasu arteritis is a chronic, immune-mediated vasculitis affecting large blood vessels. It is reported worldwide, with an annual incidence ranging from 0.3 to 3.4 cases per million people. The disease predominantly affects young women, with the mean age at diagnosis being approximately 33 years. Early recognition and timely diagnosis exert a favorable influence on disease progression, therapeutic outcomes, and overall quality of life.
Case Report. The patient presented is a woman with Takayasu arteritis, which she has been suffering from for the past four years. The diagnosis was established based on medical history, clinical examination, laboratory analyses, echography, MSCT, and PET/CT. To assess work capacity as well as physical and mental status, the SF-36 questionnaire was used. The patient has been regularly monitored and is currently in remission from the disease. Results of the SF-36 questionnaire indicate minor physical complaints, while the greatest impact of the disease is observed in the domains of psychological health and social relationships. Family relations remain intact, and the patient is employed, working a four-day workweek. The only factor positively influencing the course of the disease and the patient’s quality of life is disease remission.
Conclusion. Takayasu arteritis is a progressive disease with a significant impact on daily functioning. In patients diagnosed at a younger age, remission is more frequently achieved, which—alongside the prevention of complications—represents the most important factor in attaining a good quality of life. Therefore, efforts should be directed toward reducing the time required for establishing the diagnosis and achieving remission in patients who have already been diagnosed.
References
Bhandari S, Butt SRR, Ishfaq A, Attaallah MH, Ekhator C, Halappa Nagaraj R, et al. Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Takayasu Arteritis: A Review of Current Advances. Cureus 2023;15(7):e42667.
Ogino H, Matsuda H, Minatoya K, Sasaki H, Tanaka H, Matsumura Y, et al. Overview of late outcome of medical and surgical treatment for Takayasu arteritis. Circulation 2008;118(25):2738–47.
Di Giacomo V, Meloni F, Transi MG, Nigro D, Sciacca V. Takayasu's disease in middle-aged women. A clinicopathologic study. Angiology 1985;36(2):70–4.
Schmidt J, Kermani TA, Bacani AK, Crowson CS, Cooper LT, Matteson EL, et al. Diagnostic features, treatment, and outcomes of Takayasu arteritis in a US cohort of 126 patients. Mayo Clin Proc 2013;88(8):822–30.
Monti S, Águeda AF, Luqmani RA, Buttgereit F, Cid M, Dejaco C, et al. Systematic literature review informing the 2018 update of the EULAR recommendation for the management of large vessel vasculitis: focus on giant cell arteritis. RMD Open 2019;5(2):e001003.
Misra DP, Rathore U, Patro P, Agarwal V, Sharma A. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Takayasu Arteritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Rheumatol Ther 2021;8(3):1073–93.
Yoshifuji H, Nakaoka Y, Uchida HA, Sugihara T, Watanabe Y, Funakoshi S, et al. Japan Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare for Intractable Vasculitis (JPVAS). Organ Damage and Quality of Life in Takayasu Arteritis - Evidence From a National Registry Analysis. Circ J 2024;88(3):285–94.
Abularrage CJ, Slidell MB, Sidawy AN, Kreishman P, Amdur RL, Arora S. Quality of life of patients with Takayasu's arteritis. J Vasc Surg 2008;47(1):131–7.
Kerr GS, Hallahan CW, Giordano J, Leavitt RY, Fauci AS, Rottem M, et al. Takayasu arteritis. Ann Intern Med 1994;120(11):919–29.
Yilmaz N, Can M, Oner FA, Kalfa M, Emmungil H, Karadag O, et al. Impaired quality of life, disability and mental health in Takayasu's arteritis. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2013;52(10):1898–904.
Boiardi L, Galli E, Macchioni P, Muratore F, Klinowski G, Hunder GG, et al. Takayasu arteritis and large-vessel giant cell arteritis in Italian population. Comprehensive analysis from a single institutional cohort of 184 cases. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2023;59:152173.
Copyright (c) 2026 Slađana Todorović, Dušan Miljković, Miloslav Jovanović
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Autori zadržavaju autorska prava nad objavljenim člancima, a izdavaču daju neekskluzivno pravo da članak objavi, da u slučaju daljeg korišćenja članka bude naveden kao njegov prvi izdavač, kao i da distribuira članak u svim oblicima i medijima.