A Descriptive Case Series Study from 2009 to 2019 and a Brief Review on Takayasu s Arteritis Patients in Arak

Background: Takayasu is a form of large vessel vasculitis that mainly affects the aorta and its branches. It is a chronic disease, and the long-term prognosis depends on arterial complications and its progressive stage. Objectives: This project is a single-center descriptive study of Takayasu’s arteritis patients in Arak city aimed to determine these demographic patterns, which can help physicians in early diagnosis. Methods: All Takayasu’s arteritis patients referred to the rheumatology center of Amir Al-Momenin subspecialty clinic were studied from 2009 to 2019. Imaging methods were used for diagnosis, and SPSS version 23 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Out of 17 registered patients, information of nine patients was available from the beginning of diagnosis. Constitutional signs and symptoms indicated an inflammatory process in 77.78% of the patients. All patients in this study received a steroid-sparing drug as a part of the treatment, and the most commonly used drug was methotrexate, which was used in all patients at the onset. Conclusions: This study reports the details and the characteristics of patients with Takayasu’s Arteritis in Arak, Iran. Although the number of patients was small, these results can inform the physicians about the signs, symptoms, and complications of delayed diagnosis of this disease. One of the most important points in the diagnosis of Takayasu is the delay between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of the disease. This delay may lead to irreversible complications and increased morbidity.