Takayasu Arteritis

Study results from M.A. Ioannides and colleagues update understanding of takayasu arteritis

Takayasu Arteritis Library Library Home This article was published in Pain & Central Nervous System Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"Episodes consisted of a brief period of unresponsiveness followed by sudden falling, tonic stiffening and limb jerking. A postictal period with drowsiness, urine incontinence and a temporal loss of memory was also present. A carotid and intracranial duplex ultrasound revealed a reverse flow within the left vertebral artery indicating the presence of subclavian stealing syndrome while extracranial MRA suggested some stenosis at the origin of the left common carotid artery. The EEG was consistent with epilepsy. Neurological manifestations are secondary to ischemia caused by decreased blood flow in the involved carotid and vertebral arteries. Antiepileptic treatment proved effective and may be considered as a reasonable first approach," wrote M.A. Ioannides and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "The stenotic lesions can be managed successfully with angioplasty but these procedures are associated with a high failure rate and may not be needed."

Ioannides and colleagues published their study in Rheumatology International (Takayasu arteritis presenting as epileptic seizures: a case report and brief review of the literature. Rheumatology International, 2009;29(6):703-705).

For more information, contact C. Eftychiou, Nicosia General Hospital, Dept. of Cardiology, Nicosia, Cyprus.

Publisher contact information for the journal Rheumatology International is: Springer, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013, USA.

Keywords: Cyprus, Nicosia, Angiology, Cardiology, Central Nervous System Disease, Epilepsy, Incontinence, Rheumatology, Seizures, Takayasu Arteritis, Urology, Vertebral Artery.

This article was prepared by Pain & Central Nervous System Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Pain & Central Nervous System Week via NewsRx.com.