Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease in human populations. Over the past decade there has been considerable progress in our understanding of the fundamental descriptive epidemiology (levels of disease frequency: incidence and prevalence, comorbidity, mortality, trends over time, geographic distributions, and clinical characteristics) of the rheumatic disease...

objective: anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-ccp) antibodies are highly specific markers for rheumatoid arthritis (ra) and useful for predicting rheumatoid arthritis (ra) development and progression. we assessed the diagnostic value of anti-ccp antibodies in our patients with ra. materials and methods: anti-ccp antibodies and rheumatoid factor (rf) titers were determined in 247 serum sam...

Takayasu’s arteritis is an idiopathic, inflammatory disease which involves largeand medium-sized arteries, specially the aorta, its major branches and the pulmonary arteries. In contrast to other vasculitides, Takayasu’s arteritis is restricted to certain geographical areas. Initially thought to be confined to Japan and Korea, it has now been reported with increased frequency in Mexico, India, ...

INTRODUCTION Takayasu arteritis is a relatively rare type of large-vessel arteritis that primarily affects the aorta and its major branches, the coronary arteries, and the pulmonary arteries. Depending on the different groups of blood vessels involved in the disease process, the clinical presentation of Takayasu arteritis varies. Here we report a case of a woman presenting with a debilitating m...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe typical ultrasonographic findings of vertebral arteries in patients affected by giant cell arteritis. METHODS Color duplex sonography was used to asses the cervical arteries within 24 hours from stroke onset in 1237 patients. Vertebral arteritis was considered if concentric, homogeneous, and smooth hypoechogenic mural thickening...

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is an uncommon disorder characterized by bilateral pain and stiffness in the shoulder and pelvic girdles. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis (GCA) occur in the same patient population and share a common pathogenesis. Giant cell arteritis predominantly affects the cranial arteries and rarely involves the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, giant cell arter...

Takayasu's arteritis is an inflammatory disease with a variety of manifestations, such as cardiac involvement. We describe a 52-year-old woman with clinical and echocardiographic manifestations mimicking infectious endocarditis, such as periaortic and mital-aortic intervalvular fibrosa abscess with extension to the anterior mitral leaflet. However, no infective tissue was discovered intraoperat...

Takayasu's arteritis is a rare inflammatory aortoarteritis of unknown etiology and causes stenoocclusive disease of the aorta and its branches as well as aortic regurgitation. A surgical case of Takayasu's arteritis is presented. A 56-year-old female exhibited aortic regurgitation complicated by severe coarctation of the thoracoabdominal aorta due to Takayasu's arteritis. In this case, a 2-stag...

Giant cell arteritis commonly presents with headache, polymyalgia, and visual signs and symptoms. Other neurological, respiratory or vascular symptoms occur in 10-30% of patients. It is extremely rare for giant cell arteritis to present initially with haematuria. Here we describe a case which presented with fever and haematuria, which emphasise the need to be vigilant about the diagnosis of gia...