[Coronary involvement in Takayasu's disease. Apropos of 3 cases, of which 2 were surgically treated, and review of the literature]

Abstract

Coronary arteries like other branches of the aorta may be involved in Takayasu's disease. This complication is not rare (7% of cases) but appears to be relatively unappreciated. Three new cases are reported of main coronary artery disease, two of which were treated by coronary bypass surgery. A review of the literature of 1 130 cases of Takayasu's disease revealed 86 cases with coronary involvement, 33 of which were confirmed anatomically and 15 by coronary arteriography. The clinical manifestations, angina and/or myocardial infarction, were present in 5% and 3% respectively, of patients with Takayasu's disease. They may be the first sign of the disease and, in some cases, the only symptomatic arterial localisation. The coronary lesions are either ostial, a direct complication of the aortic disease, or on a main vessel, usually proximal. Histological studies show typical changes of stenosing inflammatory panarteritis involving mainly the media and adventitia. Thrombosis and secondary atheromatous plaques may be observed. Aneurysms are rare. Apart from cases with typical ostial lesions, the coronary angiographic appearances are not specific, but some features are suggestive of the diagnosis; the occurrence in young women; the presence of associated peripheral arterial lesions, their localisation and grouping; their radiological and/or histological characteristics. The spontaneous prognosis of these proximal lesions is usually poor and justifies surgical revascularisation by coronary bypass. Six patients, including two in this series, have been treated surgically. The associated aortic lesions may pose special technical problems which we discussed. The relatively high incidence of coronary involvement in Takayasu's disease and its often unexpected revelation by myocardial infarction or sudden death, suggest that coronary arteriography should be undertaken more often during investigation of the arterial lesions of these patients. Takayasu's disease should figure prominently amongst the causes of coronary artery disease in young women.