A possible role of sex in determining distribution of lesions in Takayasu Arteritis

Sixty-nine female and 43 male patients of Takayasu Arteritis (TA) were analysed based on their clinical and angiographic features. Clinical manifestations included hypertension in 41 (95%), bruits in 37 (86%) and hypertensive retinopathy in 28 (65%) male patients as compared to 47 (68%), 45 (65%) and 39 (56%) female patients respectively. An increased number of male patients (11.6%) had higher serum creatinine than female patients (1.6%). Angiographic evaluation suggested that female patients had involvement of ascending aorta, arch and abdominal aorta in six (8.6%), 14 (20.5%) and 37 (53.6%) patients respectively as compared to six (13.6%), five (11.6%) and 34 (79.1%) male patients. This data suggests that Indian male patients with TA have a higher frequency of hypertension and abdominal aorta involvement while female patients have a tendency towards involvement of aortic arch and its branches.