Takayasu's arteritis: a case with relapse after urgent coronary revascularization

Coronary artery lesions in Takayasu arteritis

Introduction

Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is a granulomatous inflammation of vessels of large diameter, mainly affecting the aorta and its proximal branches, which is more common in young women. The incidence of coronary artery disease in TAK is unknown and not sufficiently studied.

Material and methods

A literature review was performed for the period 2003 to 2023 using a search of the PubMed and Scopus scientific databases. We used the following key words to search the academic journal databases: "Takayasu arteritis", "coronary angiography", "myocardial revascularization", "coronary artery disease", "angina pectoris", and "myocardial infarction".

Results

The analysis of studies showed that coronary artery lesions (CAL) in TAK are not uncommon, being identified particularly in children and young individuals. Pathology of the coronary arteries increases the morbidity and mortality of TAK patients. In TAK, the ostia and proximal segments of the coronary arteries are more frequently affected, presenting as stenosis or occlusion with the development of stable coronary artery disease, unstable coronary artery disease, acute myocardial infarction, and sudden death. The diagnosis of TAK and coronary artery pathology is often complicated due to nonspecific manifestations and frequently the absence of symptoms. The treatment of patients with TAK with CAL is challenging and requires both pharmacological therapy and interventional or surgical methods of myocardial revascularization.

Conclusions

Takayasu arteritis is a more prevalent cause of CAL development, especially in young patients, than previously believed, and cardiovascular death due to CAL is not rare. Early diagnosis of TAK with CAL, particularly occlusion or hemodynamically significant stenosis, and the prompt initiation of appropriate treatment prevent dangerous complications, reduce mortality, and improve prognosis.

Restenosis after excimer laser coronary atherectomy and drug-coated balloon dilation in Takayasu's arteritis: a case report and review of the literature

Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) is a rare chronic granulomatous arteritis that mainly affects the aorta and its major branches. Coronary artery (CA) involvement can be observed in 10-25% of TAK patients. We report a 21-year-old young female who was previously diagnosed with TAK and severe left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis and underwent numerous percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in our hospital due to in-stent restenosis (ISR). This time, an excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) and drug-coated balloon (DCB) dilation was taken at the LMCA for the ISR. The blood flow was smooth after the operation, and she was symptom-free after discharge. Unfortunately, 5 months later, severe intimal hyperplasia was still seen in the stent of LMCA and left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. A coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) was performed, and she has been symptom-free ever since. ELCA plus DCB is one of the novel ways we first reported. However, ensuring long-term inflammation control is equally important to restore blood flow. The combination of revascularization and anti-inflammation/immunosuppression is recommended to improve the outcomes of TAK patients with CA involvements.

Mismatch of systematic and local inflammatory activity in Takayasu arteritis with coronary involvement: a case report

BACKGROUND

Accurate evaluation of the activity stage in Takayasu arteritis (TA) is important for the revascularization of TA with coronary artery involvement (TA-CAD). Here, we report the case of a patient with a mismatch of systemic and local inflammatory activity, leading to 13 times the need for recurrent coronary revascularization.

CASE SUMMARY

A 31-year-old woman with a family history of coronary artery disease underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for critical ostial lesions. This patient was identified with Numano Type V TA and she underwent optimal medical therapy and PCIs. Her clinical inflammatory markers were quickly normalized. However, in-stent restenosis events recurred every 3 months. Virtual-histology intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) confirmed local vascular inflammation. A coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) was also conducted. Before this procedure, both the CABG grafts and the anastomotic areas were accurately assessed with 18FDG-PET/CT. Eventually, this patient remained both angina- and event-free for 2 years post-CABG.

DISCUSSION

The persistence of TA activity despite normal clinical inflammatory markers is uncommon as is the need for recurrent revascularization after appropriate PCI management. Intracoronary imaging and 18FDG-PET/CT play a critical role in assessing TA activity as well as precisely guiding CABG grafts and anastomosis sites to prevent graft failure.

Acute myocardial infarction with left main coronary artery ostial negative remodelling as the first manifestation of Takayasu arteritis: a case report

Background

Takayasu arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease involving the aorta and its major branches. Acute myocardial infarction rarely but not so much presents in patients with Takayasu arteritis, and the preferable revascularization strategy is still under debate.

Case presentation

A 22-year-old female with Takayasu arteritis presented with acute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography and intravenous ultrasound (IVUS) showed that the right coronary artery (RCA) was occluded and that there was severe negative remodelling at the ostium of the left main coronary artery (LMCA). The patient was treated by primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) with a scoring balloon in the LMCA, without stent implantation. After 3 months of immunosuppressive medication, the patient received RCA revascularization by stenting. There was progressive external elastic membrane (EEM) enlargement of the LMCA ostium demonstrated by IVUS at 3 and 15 months post-initial PTCA.

Conclusion

Here, we report a case of Takayasu arteritis with involvement of the coronary artery ostium. Through PTCA and long-term immunosuppressive medication, we found that coronary negative remodelling might be reversible in patients with Takayasu arteritis.

Three-year outcome with drug-coated balloon percutaneous coronary intervention in coronary Takayasu arteritis: A case review

We describe the first long-term follow-up of a young patient with active Takayasu arteritis who presented with an acute coronary syndrome, treated endovascularly with percutaneous coronary intervention without stenting. A drug-coated balloon was used with high-resolution coronary imaging guidance in the form of optical coherence tomography on a critical ostial left anterior descending coronary artery lesion. A repeat procedure was undertaken after 4 months confirming a durable coronary angioplasty result and the patient remained symptom-free beyond 3 years. Coronary stenting in this population is associated with early and aggressive stent failure. Hence, this is an innovative approach. We believe that the stent, regardless of whether it is first, second or subsequent generation, leaves a permanent foreign body within the vasculature that becomes the seed for inflammatory reactions, resulting in recurrent in-stent restenotic fibrosis irrespective of concurrent immunotherapy or the degree of disease activity.

Coronary artery involvements in Takayasu arteritis: systematic review of reports

Coronary artery involvements in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) have not been sufficiently described. By comprehensive retrieval of the pertinent literature published in the past two decades, 59 reports including 141 patients were recruited into this study. In TA patients with coronary artery involvements, the right coronary artery was the most commonly affected. Stenosis was the most common coronary artery lesion, and the coronary ostium was the most commonly affected coronary segment. Acute myocardial infarction was diagnosed in 17 (12.1%) patients of this cohort. Patients receiving surgical treatment showed a higher recovery rate than interventionally treated patients. Interventional therapy was associated with a higher reintervention rate than surgical treatment. The inflammation condition in TA patients can lead to in-stent restenosis and warrant reinterventions. Surgical treatment is a preferable treatment of choice over interventional therapy for the coronary artery lesions of TA patients.