PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Lirui Yang
AU  - Huimin Zhang
AU  - Xiongjing Jiang
AU  - Yubao Zou
AU  - Fang Qin
AU  - Lei Song
AU  - Ting Guan
AU  - Haiying Wu
AU  - Lianjun Xu
AU  - Yaxin Liu
AU  - Xianliang Zhou
AU  - Jin Bian
AU  - Rutai Hui
AU  - Deyu Zheng
TI  - Clinical Manifestations and Longterm Outcome for Patients with Takayasu Arteritis in China
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.140664
DP  - 2014 Oct 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - jrheum.140664
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2014/09/25/jrheum.140664.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2014/09/25/jrheum.140664.full
AB  - Objective To describe a large cohort of patients with Takayasu arteritis in China. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 566 patients hospitalized in Fuwai Hospital between 2002 and 2013. Data collected were clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, angiographic features, treatment, and longterm outcome. Results The female to male ratio was 3.8 to 1, and the mean age of onset was 28.9 ± 12.0 years. The most common inflammatory symptom, initial symptom, and coexisting disease were fever (52, 9.2%), dizziness (214, 37.8%), and hypertension (HTN; 392, 69.3%), respectively. Pulmonary artery, coronary artery involvement, and aortic regurgitation were found in 83 (14.7%), 66 (11.7%), and 181 (36.7%) patients, respectively. Elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was observed in 131 patients (23.1%). Treatment included drugs, interventional therapy, autologous blood vessel transplant, artificial blood vessel transplant, and aortic valve replacement. During a mean followup of 5.0 ± 0.2 years, 32 patients died, including 1 patient who died suddenly during coronary angiography. HTN, major complications, and a progressive disease course were significant prognostic markers. Conclusion HTN, rather than fever, is the leading reason for patients with Takayasu arteritis to see a doctor in China. HTN, major complications, and a progressive disease course are statistically significant predictors of survival. Because of cardiovascular events associated with the disease, early diagnosis and treatment are urgent to improve prognosis.