Follow-up study of aortic-valve replacement surgery in patients with Takayasu's disease complicated by aortic regurgitation

Long-term outcomes and prognostic factors after aortic valve surgery in patients with Takayasu arteritis

BACKGROUND

Aortic regurgitation (AR) is a common cardiovascular complication in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK), and complication after aortic valve surgery (AVS) is not rare. This study aimed to identify the long-term postoperative outcomes for significant AR in patients with TAK compared with those in patients without TAK.

METHODS

We included 35 patients with TAK with moderate-to-severe AR who underwent AVS and compared their postoperative outcomes with those of 105 age- and operation period-matched patients with severe AR but without TAK. The risk factors for poor outcomes [all-cause death and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE)] in patients with TAK were analyzed using multivariate Cox regression.

RESULTS

The 10-year overall survival rate was 70.5% in patients with TAK and 89.4% in those without TAK (p = 0.048). The MACCE and reoperation rates were significantly higher in patients with TAK (10-year freedom from MACCE, 58.2% vs. 86.4% [p < 0.001]; 10-year freedom from reoperation, 64.5% vs. 98.3% [p < 0.001]). Eighteen of the 35 patients with TAK (51.4%) had poor outcomes, and multivariate analysis revealed that significant coronary artery involvement [hazard ratio (HR), 4.178; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.222-14.282; p = 0.023] and decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (HR, 0.968; 95% CI 0.947-0.989; p = 0.003) were associated with poor outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The long-term postoperative outcomes for AR were poorer in patients with TAK than in those without TAK. The poor outcomes in patients with TAK were associated with coronary artery involvement and decreased renal function.

Risk factors and surgical prognosis in patients with aortic valve involvement caused by Takayasu arteritis

Objective

Aortic valve involvement is not uncommon in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and leading to poor prognosis. The aim of our study was to explore the risk factors of aortic valve involvement and to evaluate the prognosis in TAK patients with aortic valve involvement.

Method

In this retrospective study, 172 TAK patients were divided into groups with or without aortic valve involvement to identify the risk factors. Patients who underwent aortic valve surgical treatment were followed up to assess cumulative incidence of postoperative adverse events.

Results

A total of 92 TAK patients (53.49%) had aortic valvular lesion. The infiltration of inflammatory cells was found in surgical specimens of aortic valve. Numano type IIb, elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level, and dilation of ascending aorta and aortic root were statistically associated with aortic valvular lesion in TAK patients (OR [95%CI] 6.853 [1.685–27.875], p=0.007; 4.896 [1.646–14.561], p=0.004; 4.509 [1.517–13.403], p=0.007; 9.340 [2.188–39.875], p=0.003). The 1-, 5-, and 7-year cumulative incidence of postoperative adverse events were 14.7%, 14.7%, and 31.8%, respectively. Surgical methods (p=0.024, hazard ratio (HR) 0.082) and postoperatively anti-inflammatory therapy (p=0.036, HR 0.144) were identified as potential predictors of postoperative adverse events.

Conclusions

Regularly echocardiogram screening is suggested in patients with Numano type IIb and aggressive treatment should be performed early in TAK patients. As for TAK patients with aortic valve surgery, aortic root replacement seems to be the preferred option and regular anti-inflammatory therapy may reduce the occurrence of adverse events of them.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13075-022-02788-9.

Management of Takayasu arteritis: a systematic literature review informing the 2018 update of the EULAR recommendation for the management of large vessel vasculitis

Objective

To collect available evidence on management of large vessel vasculitis to inform the 2018 update of the EULAR management recommendations.

Methods

Two independent systematic literature reviews were performed, one on diagnosis and monitoring and the other on drugs and surgical treatments. Using a predefined PICO (population, intervention, comparator and outcome) strategy, Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were accessed. Eligible papers were reviewed and results condensed into a summary of findings table. This paper reports the main results for Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Results

A total of 287 articles were selected. Relevant heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. Males appear to have more complications than females. The presence of major complications, older age, a progressive disease course and a weaker inflammatory response are associated with a more unfavourable prognosis. Evidence for details on the best disease monitoring scheme was not found. High-quality evidence to guide the treatment of TAK was not found. Glucocorticoids are widely accepted as first-line treatment. Conventional immunosuppressive drugs and tumour necrosis factor inhibitors were beneficial in case series and uncontrolled studies. Tocilizumab failed the primary endpoint (time to relapse) in a randomised controlled clinical trial; however, results still favoured tocilizumab over placebo. Vascular procedures may be required, and outcome is better when performed during inactive disease.

Conclusions

Evidence to guide monitoring and treatment of patients with TAK is predominantly derived from observational studies with low level of evidence. Therefore, higher-quality studies are needed in the future.

Management of aortic regurgitation and bilateral carotid occlusion in severe Takayasu arteritis

We present a patient with Takayasu arteritis and severe aortic valve regurgitation and bilateral carotid artery occlusions, who underwent aortic valve replacement and aorto-bicarotid bypass. The management of the cardiovascular manifestations of Takayasu arteritis is reviewed.

[How to manage Takayasu arteritis?]

Thorough clinical and imaging assessment of the arterial tree when a diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis is established. Glucocorticoïd as intiation therapy. Immunosuppresive agent should be considered as adjunctive therapy if resistance or dependance to glucocorticoïd therapy. Supportive care, antihypertensive drugs, glucocorticoïd induced osteoporosis preventive therapy, tuberculosis screening should not be forgiven. Monitoring of therapy should be clinical and supported by biological markers and imaging. Reconstructive surgery should be performed in the quiescent phase of disease.

Aortic valve replacement surgery for a case of infantile Takayasu arteritis

Takayasu arteritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology primarily affecting the aorta and its major branches and usually occurring in the second or third decade of life. Here, we report a case of Takayasu arteritis in a 10-month-old patient. The infant presented with signs of congestive heart failure and severe aortic regurgitation. Echocardiography and computed tomography angiography showed an abnormally dilated thoracic and abdominal aorta. The infant was initially treated with prednisolone, followed by commissuroplasty of the aortic valve but neither approach ameliorated the heart failure. The patient was eventually treated with a mechanical aortic valve replacement surgery at the age of 12 months, and her condition stabilized. Although unusual, this case indicates that the diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis should be considered in children with unexplained systemic symptoms, aortic valve regurgitation, and heart failure. Because severe aortic regurgitation may be a fatal complication of Takayasu arteritis, early aortic valve replacement surgery should be considered, even in very young children.

[Takayasu's arteritis revealed by aortic regurgitation with ascending aortic aneurysm (About 2 cases)]

Aortic regurgitation caused by non-specific aortitis is relatively rare, and is now considered as an important risk factor related to mortality. Aortic valve replacement surgery is the only curative treatment. Aneurismal dilatation of the ascending thoracic aorta associated with aortic regurgitation is a rare involvement in Takayasu, there are many difficult problems in surgical treatment of this lesion, because of its inflammatory nature, so steroid therapy before and after surgery is therefore vital. We report the cases of tow young Moroccans women (32-35 years-old) with an ascending aortic aneurism associated to aortic insufficiency. The subsequent evaluation of the entire aorta, demonstrated the presence of multiple steno-occlusive lesions. Aortic valve replacement was performed associated with graft replacement of the ascending aorta without coronary artery reimplantation. Histopathological examination of the ascending aorta and aortic valve, showed findings in favour Takayasu's arteritis.

Surgical Treatment of Aortic Regurgitation due to Takayasu Arteritis

Background— The goal of this retrospective study was to determine the late outcome of surgical treatment for aortic valve regurgitation due to Takayasu arteritis and correlate it with evidence of inflammation on pathological examination.

Methods and Results— Ninety consecutive patients who underwent surgery for aortic valve regurgitation due to Takayasu arteritis between 1979 and 2003 were studied. Intraoperative pathological specimens of the aortic wall from 69 patients were retrospectively examined for inflammation. Aortic valve replacement was performed in 63 patients (group A) and composite graft repair in 27 patients (group B). The aortic root diameter was 39.9±9.5 mm in group A and 54.4±13.6 mm in group B ( P <0.0001). Preoperative steroid therapy was performed in 40 patients (44.4%). Hospital mortality was 4.8% (3/63) in group A and 7.4% (2/27) in group B. The overall 15-year survival rate was 76.1%. Detachment of the valve or graft occurred in 11.1% (7/63) of group A and in 3.7% (1/27) of group B patients ( P =0.43). Late dilatation (>50 mm) of the residual ascending aorta occurred in 11.1% (7/63) of group A and in 3.7% (1/27) of group B patients ( P =0.43). Active inflammation was confirmed in intraoperative pathological specimens of 10 patients, and detachment of the valve or graft occurred in 4 of these patients. Univariate analysis of background variables revealed active inflammation to be a risk factor for detachment ( P =0.0001; risk ratio 55).

Conclusions— Late dilatation of the ascending aorta after aortic valve replacement is a clinically important finding. Active inflammation could be related to valve or graft detachment.

Uncommon arteriopathies: what the vascular surgeon needs to know

Uncommon arteriopathies encompass a diverse range of diseases, including inherited collagen vascular disorders such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos Type IV, and pseudoxanthoma elasticum; vasculitides, including Takayasu's arteritis, extracranial giant cell arteritis, and Behçet's disease; neurofibromatosis type 1; intimal fibromuscular dysplasia; unusual bacterial and viral infections; and drug-induced arteriopathies. Patients with uncommon arterial disorders may present to the vascular surgeon with common surgical problems, including intermittent claudication, renovascular hypertension, Raynaud's phenomenon, and aneurysmal disease. However, the disease manifestations, expected course, and outcomes may be much different than more common arterial disorders and this can have important surgical implications. This review centers around several interesting cases and the differential diagnoses that should be considered when encountering an unusual clinical presentation. Reference is made to the literature for diagnostic criteria, clinical pearls, and how to avoid pitfalls in the evaluation and management of patients with unusual arteriopathies.

New index for grading the severity of aortic regurgitation based on the cross-sectional area of vena contracta measured by color Doppler flow mapping

This study was designed to examine whether the cross-sectional area of vena contracta measured by color Doppler flow mapping (CFM) could be used for assessing aortic regurgitation (AR) and developing an index for grading AR. The 75 study patients with AR were classified into quadrant grades according to New York Heart Association functional class, regurgitant fraction, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic dimension and LV end-systolic dimension. Using CFM, the cross-sectional area of the vena contracta was measured and it could distinguish all grades without significant overlap. An area of less than 0.10 cm(2) corresponded to Grade 1, 0.10-0.19 cm(2) corresponded to Grade 2, 0.20-0.29 cm(2) corresponded to Grade 3 and an area of more than 0.30 cm(2) corresponded to Grade 4. An area of vena contracta of more than 0.30 cm(2) identified high-scoring AR (Grade 4) in 11 of 11 (sensitivity 100%) and correctly predicted the absence of high-scoring AR in 60 of 64 (specificity 94%). Conversely, there was considerable overlap between the jet distances with the clinical grades. The cross-sectional area of the vena contracta measured by CFM can provide a simple quantitative assessment of AR that correlates well with the clinical grade of AR.