Hypertension and elevated ESR as diagnostic features of Takayasu arteritis in children.

Takayasu arteritis (TA) is an inflammatory disease of the aorta and its branches. Delay in diagnosis is a common problem for adults and children. Although early manifestations are nonspecific (i.e., malaise, fever, anorexia, weight loss, myalgia, arthralgia/arthritis, elevated acute phase reactants), the clinical features that lead to diagnosis often appear suddenly and are related to vascular involvement. Hypertension, which is rare in children, and elevated ESR are found in most patients with TA. The authors hypothesized that these features, then, could be used as way to raise the clinical suspicion of TA. A total of 190 young patients with TA were retrospectively analyzed from local records and the literature to find the signs and symptoms associated with the disease that could be used to educate caregivers about when to suspect TA and to provide a screening tool for the disease. Hypertension and elevated ESR are found in most patients with TA. For this local study group, the sensitivity of this combination was 67%. Including the literature sources for which patient-specific information was available, the overall sensitivity was 65%. Thus, the combination of hypertension and elevated ESR in pediatric patients should merit further screening for TA, particularly in those with systemic complaints. Physical examination should focus on pulse abnormalities. Further evaluation should involve extensive imaging of the vascular system.