Updates in Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Management of Takayasu Arteritis.

Background: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a rare, systemic, inflammatory vasculitis of granulomatous nature, and still of unknown etiology. It mainly involves the aorta and its major branches and is more commonly seen in women of childbearing age and Asians. TA leads to stenosis, occlusion, or aneurysmal degeneration of large arteries, and its pathogenesis seems to be mainly due to an abnormal cell-mediated immunity, although other molecular and genetic abnormalities may contribute.