Vasculitis Treatment

Vasculitis is a noninfective systemic disease characterized by inflammation of vessels of various diameters. It can be idiopathic or secondary to known systemic diseases. Two types of vasculitis that commonly involve the supra-aortic vessels are giant cell arteritis and Takayasu’s arteritis. The Chapel Hill Consensus Conference on the Nomenclature of Vasculitides has effectively classified different types of vasculitis based on vessel diameter and localization. Giant cell arteritis and Takayasu’s arteritis are both granulomatous inflammations of the aorta and its major branches, sharing complex pathophysiology, similar clinical presentations, imaging features, and treatments. However, there are differences between them: giant cell arteritis typically occurs in patients over 50 years old, with a female predominance, while Takayasu’s arteritis is more common in a younger, predominantly female population aged 15–30 years, particularly of Asian origin. The usual symptoms of giant cell arteritis include headache, jaw pain, and scalp tenderness, with elevated C-reactive protein levels in 95% of cases. Additionally, approximately 15% of patients experience ischemic ophthalmologic complications, which can lead to partial or complete visual loss. Giant cell arteritis can also result in transient ischemic attacks or strokes in 2–7% of patients, either due to direct endothelial damage or a hypercoagulable state. Aortic aneurysm and dissection complications can be observed in up to 30% of cases.