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Aortitis – An Interdisciplinary Challenge

The term ‘aortitis’ comprises a heterogeneous spectrum of diseases, with varied etiology and clinical presentations, whose common characteristic is the inflammation of the aortic wall. Since aortitis can mimic almost all common cardiovascular disorders, its clinical recognition remains a challenge. Some cases of aortitis remain undetected for a long time and may be diagnosed after severe life-threatening complications have already arisen. The diagnosis of aortitis is based on the presence of homogeneous circumferential thickening of the aortic wall detected on aortic imaging, or typical histological features in combination with clinical findings and laboratory parameters. Management of aortitis…

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Articles of Interest

Aortitis

Aortitis is the all-encompassing term ascribed to inflammation of the aorta. The most common causes of aortitis are the large vessel vasculitides, giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis, although it is also associated with several other rheumatologic diseases. Infectious aortitis is a rare but potentially life-threatening disorder.

Aortitis as a Harbinger of Occult Malignancy

Aortitis is a term that describes either an infectious or noninfectious disease process that produces inflammation of the aorta. Diagnosis is often established radiographically or, more commonly, based on tissue diagnosis following the resection of an aortic segment due to aneurysm or dissection.

Aortitis: An Unusual Cause of Acute Chest Pain

The leading causes are of rheumatic origin, in which GCA accounts for over 75% of cases, followed by Takayasu arteritis. Infectious and idiopathic etiologies are much less common.

Aortitis: Imaging Spectrum of the Infectious and Inflammatory Conditions of the Aorta

The clinical manifestations are usually vague and nonspecific and may include pain, fever, vascular insufficiency, and elevated levels of acute phase reactants, as well as other systemic manifestations. As a result, aortitis is often overlooked during the initial work-up of patients with constitutional symptoms and systemic disorders.

Aortitis: recent advances, current concepts and future possibilities

Broadly defined, aortitis refers to inflammation of the aorta and incorporates both infectious and non-infectious aetiologies. As advanced imaging modalities are increasingly incorporated into clinical practice, the phenotypic spectrum associated with aortitis has widened. The primary large vessel vasculitides, giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis, are the most common causes of non-infectious aortitis.

Infectious Aortitis: Case Report and Literature Review

The symptoms can occur over a long time period which can sometimes delay the patients from seeking medical advice until aneurysmal development and its rupture, which is often diagnosed at this stage.

Noninfectious Ascending Aortitis: Staying Ahead of the Curve

Although patients with Takayasu’s arteritis, and increasingly those with GCA, are now routinely screened for aortic involvement, aortitis is still often diagnosed only after surgical specimens taken during repairs of aortic aneurysms or dissections are examined histologically.

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Basicmedical Key

Since symptoms and signs associated with aortitis during the initial phase of the disease are unspecific, a high level of diagnostic suspicion is required for an early diagnosis and a timely treatment.