Evaluation and therapy in four patients with Takayasu's arteritis.

Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a large-vessel vasculitis primarily affecting the aorta and its branches. It ranks third among other types of childhood vasculitis, while it is the most common large vessel vasculitis observed in childhood. The diagnosis of TA should be made on the basis of clinical criteria and supported with laboratory findings, while confirming it with the imaging methods. Angioplasty, stent and bypass grafts may be necessary in the case of an irreversible arterial stenosis. Small-vessel involvement in TA and acute phase reactants should be taken into account for the diagnosis of an attack. In this report, treatment choices for four patients with the diagnosis of pediatric TA, their clinical and laboratory findings and their responses to treatment will be discussed.