Document Detail


Giant cell arteritis: a systemic vascular disease.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18593802     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is increasingly being recognized as a systemic vascular disease, not confined to the cranial arteries. Epidemiological studies have shown that almost one-third of the patients with GCA develop serious peripheral vascular complications during long-term follow up, and there is growing evidence that unrecognized extracranial involvement may be even more common. GCA of large- and medium-sized peripheral arteries typically leads to long tapering and occlusion of the arterial lumen due to concentric intimal thickening, sometimes accompanied by spontaneous dissection. Depending on the extent of the arterial obliteration and on the anatomy of the involved arterial segment, this may result in severe ischemia of the limbs during the acute phase of the disease. GCA of the aorta usually remains asymptomatic for many years, and leads to a markedly increased risk of aneurysms and dissections, particularly of the thoracic aorta. Evolving vascular imaging techniques such as duplex ultrasound, computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and fluorine-18-desoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) have greatly improved our ability to detect and study arterial changes in large-artery vasculitis. Boosted by these advances in vascular imaging, vascular specialists are increasingly involved in the early diagnosis, follow-up and treatment of patients with large-vessel vasculitis.
Authors:
Federico Tatò; Ulrich Hoffmann
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Vascular medicine (London, England)     Volume:  13     ISSN:  1358-863X     ISO Abbreviation:  Vasc Med     Publication Date:  2008  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-07-02     Completed Date:  2008-10-22     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9610930     Medline TA:  Vasc Med     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  127-40     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Division of Vascular Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University Hospital, Pettenkoferstrasse 8a, D-80336 [corrected] Munich, Germany. Federico.Tato@t-online.de
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Angiography, Digital Subtraction
Arterial Occlusive Diseases / epidemiology,  metabolism,  pathology*,  therapy
Biological Markers / blood
Cardiovascular Agents / therapeutic use
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / diagnostic use
Giant Cell Arteritis / epidemiology,  metabolism,  pathology*,  therapy
Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
Humans
Inflammation Mediators / blood
Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Peripheral Vascular Diseases / epidemiology,  metabolism,  pathology*,  therapy
Physical Examination
Positron-Emission Tomography
Radiopharmaceuticals / diagnostic use
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Treatment Outcome
Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color
Vascular Surgical Procedures
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Biological Markers; 0/Cardiovascular Agents; 0/Glucocorticoids; 0/Inflammation Mediators; 0/Radiopharmaceuticals; 63503-12-8/Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
Comments/Corrections
Erratum In:
Vasc Med. 2008 Aug;13(3):299

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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