Vasculitides

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Cornelia M Weyand, Emory University; Jörg J Goronzy, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2008-01-01
• Publisher: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-68566-3_21
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases
• Volume: 2008
• Start Page: 398
• End Page: 450
• Keywords: Temporal Artery Biopsy; Polymyalgia Rheumatica; Large Vessel Vasculitis; Giant Cell Arteritis; Small Vessel Vasculitis
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery

Abstract

Despite the spatial closeness of blood vessels and inflammatory cells, blood vessel walls are infrequently targeted by inflammation. Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu’s arteritis (TA) are characterized by inflammation directed against the vessel wall. GCA and TA display stringent tissue tropism and affect defined vascular territories in a preferential manner. GCA predominantly affects the second- to fifth-order aortic branches, often in the extracranial arteries of the head. The aorta itself may also be affected in GCA, albeit less often than other regions. In contrast, in TA, the aorta and its major branches are the prime disease targets.