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BRIEF REPORT |
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| Year : 2005 | Volume
: 53
| Issue : 3 | Page : 194-196 |
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Retinal arterial occlusion in Takayasu's arteritis
Sushmita Kaushik1, Amod Gupta1, Vishali Gupta1, Sanjay Jain2, Vivek Lal3
1 Departments of Ophthalmology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh-160 012, India
2 Departments of Internal Medcine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh-160 012, India
3 Departments of Neurology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh-160 012, India
Correspondence Address:
Amod Gupta
Department of Ophthalmology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh-160 012
India
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DOI: 10.4103/0301-4738.16680 PMID: 16137966
 Abstract | | |
Takayasu's arteritis is an auto-immune disorder of the large and medium-sized arteries, commonly involving the heart and its main vessels. It is now recognised that the inflammatory process of the large arteries affects regions of the walls supplied by the vasa vasorum, suggesting that primary small vessel involvement may contribute to the development of the clinico-pathological features of Takayasu aorto-arteritis. Classical ophthalmic features of the disease result from reduced ocular perfusion, which manifests as hypoxic retinal changes such as microaneurysms, arterio-venous anastomosis and non-perfused areas. Branch retinal artery occlusion has not been previously described in this condition. This case illustrates retinal arterial occlusion as the presenting feature of Takayasu's arteritis.
Keywords: Takayasu arteritis, Takayasu retinopathy, Small vessel vasculitis, Retinal arterial occlusion
How to cite this article:
Kaushik S, Gupta A, Gupta V, Jain S, Lal V. Retinal arterial occlusion in Takayasu's arteritis. Indian J Ophthalmol 2005;53:194-6 |
How to cite this URL:
Kaushik S, Gupta A, Gupta V, Jain S, Lal V. Retinal arterial occlusion in Takayasu's arteritis. Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 2005 [cited 2013 May 23];53:194-6. Available from: http://www.ijo.in/text.asp?2005/53/3/194/16680 |
Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is an inflammatory and obliterative disease of large and medium-sized arteries, with a predilection for the aorta and its major branches.[1] Characteristic ophthalmic features may include hypotensive or hypertensive retinopathy.[2],[3] This study describes a patient with retinal arterial occlusion, who was subsequently found to have an aortic arch syndrome with clinical and radiological features compatible with TA.
| Case Report | |  |
A forty-year-old woman presented with left temporal headache and foggy vision in the left eye for ten days. There was no history of any other systemic illness, or easy fatigability. Ocular evaluation revealed visual acuity of light perception in the left eye, and 6/6 in the right. An examination of the left eye showed a normal anterior segment with a briskly reacting pupil. Ophthalmoscopy revealed a sheathed nasal branch retinal artery and absence of tertiary branches of the lower temporal arteriole, with wedge-shaped choroidal scars in the nasal mid-periphery [Figure - 1], suggestive of Elschnig's wedge infarcts. There was no arterio-venous anastomosis. Fundus Fluorescein angiography (FFA) revealed initial dye transit of more than a minute, and showed non-filling of tertiary branches of the central retinal artery in the posterior pole, with an area of transmission defect nasal to the disc [Figure - 2]. The right eye was normal.
The patient was clinically diagnosed to have ocular ischaemia and subjected to a detailed systemic evaluation. Examination revealed absent pulses in the left upper limb. The blood pressure was unrecordable in the left upper limb, 76/60 in the right upper limb and 130/80 in the lower limbs. Aortography showed totally blocked ostia of the left subclavian and left common carotid arteries on the arch aortogram [Figure - 3]. The right subclavian was blocked in the third part, while the brachial artery was reformed through multiple collaterals. She was diagnosed to have an aortic arch syndrome, as is commonly seen in Takayasu aorto-arteritis.
The patient was unsuccessfully treated with oral Prednisolone 40 mg o.d. over three months, the retinal arterioles progressively attenuated and the optic disc turned pale [Figure - 4].
| Discussion | | |
Takayasu's disease is an uncommon inflammatory arteritis predominantly affecting the aorta, its branches and the pulmonary arteries. The ocular features in TA result from the ocular hypoperfusion secondary to obliteration of these arteries. Classical features of Takayasu retinopathy were described by Uyama and Asayama in 1976,[4] and they include dilatation of small vessels, capillary microaneurysm formation, arterio-venous anastomosis and further ocular complications. The variability of ischaemic changes in TA probably depends upon the parts of the carotid arteries which are occluded, and the duration and rate of ocular vascular insufficiency, in addition to the development of collateral blood supply. Additional ophthalmological features may include hypertensive retinopathy secondary to renal artery stenosis.
The histopathological changes in TA are predominantly found in the outer part of the media and adventitia of the arteries; regions which are nourished by the vasa vasorum.[5] This suggests that the primary involvement of small vessels also contributes to the development of the features of TA. It is now known that TA may affect small vessels as well, though the involvement of distal branch arteries is very uncommon. Although systemic small vessel involvement in TA [5],[6],[7] has been described, retinal arterial involvement has not been reported.
In the present case, the involvement of distal branches of a retinal arteriole in the posterior pole was noted clinically, and confirmed on FFA. The clinical features of pulseless disease, along with radiological features of the left subclavian and common carotid artery stenosis were suggestive of TA. There was no evidence of retinal arteriolar embolus, and there was a progressive narrowing of the involved retinal arteriole. Based on these findings, we conclude that it was apparently a secondary arteriolar occlusion due to proximal involvement of the major vessels that caused the symptoms and signs in this patient.
A literature review using MEDLINE failed to reveal any mention of retinal arteriolar occlusion as part of TA. This case illustrates how a branch retinal arteriolar occlusion along with other features of ischaemic retinopathy such as a delayed arm-retina circulation time and choroidal infarcts, led to the ultimate diagnosis of this condition.
| References | | |
| 1. | Sekiguchi M, Suzuki J. An overview of Takayasu arteritis. Heart & Vessels- Supplement 1992;7:6-10.  [PUBMED] |
| 2. | Chun YS, Park SJ, Park IJ, Chung H, Lee J. The clinical and ocular manifestations of Takayasu arteritis. Retina 2001;21:132-40. |
| 3. | Sagar S, Kar S, Gupta A, Sharma BK. Ocular changes in Takayasu's arteritis in India. Jpn J Ophthlamol 1994;38:97-102. [PUBMED] |
| 4. | Uyama M, Asayama K. Retinal vascular changes in Takayasu disease (pulseless disease), occurrence and evaluation of the lesion. Doc Ophthalmol Proc Ser 1976;9:549-54. |
| 5. | Skaria AM, Ruffieux P, Piletta P, Chavaz P, Saurat JH, Borradori L. Takayasu's arteritis and cutaneous necrotizing vasculitis. Dermatology 2000;200:139-43. |
| 6. | Nakabayashi K, Nitadori T, Kamiya Y, Nagasawa T. Atypical Takayasu arteritis : late onset and arthritic manifestations : report of two cases. Int J Cardiol 1998;66:221-27. |
| 7. | Breinholt JP 3rd , Tristani-Firouzi M, Bohnsack JF, Shaddy RE. Evidence for early vessel involvement in the dysfunctional myocardium of Takayasu's arteritis. Pediatr Cardiol 2001;22:74-6. |
Figures
[Figure - 1], [Figure - 2], [Figure - 3], [Figure - 4]
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