Small vessel involvement in Takayasu's arteritis.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the small retinal and systemic vessel involvement in Takayasu's arteritis.

METHODS: We described 3 patients with Takayasu's arteritis and small retinal vessel occlusion seen in our department between 2004 and 2011. We performed an extensive literature review and provided a global analysis of small retinal vessel involvement in Takayasu arteritis (i.e., total number of patients analyzed=9).

RESULTS: Seven patients had small retinal artery occlusion, and two had venous involvement. Four cases were inaugural of the disease (44.4%). Takayasu's arteritis was extended (Type V) in the majority of patients presenting with small retinal vessel occlusion (5/9, 55.6%), and 8/9 reported cases (88.9%) presented with involvement of the supra-aortic branches. Immunosuppressive regimen allowed an improvement in 5/9 patients and stabilization in 1/9, but the situation worsened in 3/9 patients. The visual outcome was severe, and 3/9 patients (33.3%) experienced irreversible blindness.

CONCLUSION: Occlusion of small retinal vessels is a rare and severe microcirculatory complication in Takayasu's arteritis, as well as necrotizing cutaneous vasculitis or myocarditis. Small retinal vessel involvement can be inaugural of the disease and seriously impact the visual prognosis in TA patients.