Successful treatment of Takayasu arteritis with rituximab as a first-line immunosuppressant.

Takayasu arteritis is a rare large vessel vasculitis which has traditionally been treated with high-dose steroids. There have been a small number of publications where biological agents have been used to manage refractory cases. To the authors knowledge, there are no publications using biological agents in combination with steroids as a first-line treatment in Takayasu arteritis.

Impact of Microcalcifications on Risk of Malignancy in Thyroid Nodules with Indeterminate or Benign Cytology.

Objective: Adverse sonographic features such as microcalcification may predict increased likelihood of malignant cytology by fine-needle aspiration and, accordingly, increased risk of malignant histology. Our objective was to study the predictive value of microcalcifications and other sonographic features for malignancy among thyroid nodules with benign or indeterminate cytology.

Study Design: Case series with chart review.

Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Ulcerative colitis, is a risk factor for recurrent thromboembolic events: a case report.

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a member of the family of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), occurs worldwide. It has an incidence which in recent years has been rising in areas such as Southern Europe and Asia, while remaining relatively constant in Northern Europe and North America. Complications associated with UC include toxic dilatation, perforation, carcinoma and massive haemorrhage.

Takayasu's Arteritis presenting as a dissecting aortic aneurysm history: a case report.

Introduction: Takayasu's Arteritis, formerly known as "pulseless disease", is a chronic idiopathic vasculitis which affects the large vessels in the body. First described in the 1800's, this rare condition is more commonly found in Asian women in their 40's. The aorta and its main branches are the primary vessels affected, with the most typical features reflected as ischemia or aneurysm formation.