Vaskulárna medicína 3/2016

Takayasu arteriitis in pregnancy – two case reports and the review of the literature

Takayasu arteriitis (TA) is a chronic, inflammatory progressive disease of unknown pathophysiology, affecting mostly the aortic arch and its branches. Young women in a reproductive age under 40 create the majority of the targeted population. Thus the special awareness of some possible complications in pregnancy is needed. The diagnosis of TA is more likely established before the pregnancy, symptoms and signs only rarely occur during the pregnancy. However, the natural history of the TA in pregnancy is more likely improved and complications as the uncontrolled hypertension, preeclampsia or eclampsia, as well as the heart failure from retention of the fluid or severe aortic regurgitation are relatively rare. We present two case reports of our TA patients concerning 4 pregnancies and discuss some aspects of associated risks.

Keywords: Takayasu arteriitis, pregnancy, arterial hypertension