Takayasu's arteritis presenting as fever of unknown origin: Report of two cases and literature review

Objectives: This study reports two patients with Takayasu's arteritis prese nting with a fever of unknown origin (FUO) and reviews the literature on th at association, Methods: We describe the clinical presentation, course, and outcome of the two patients, and reviewed the medical literature from 1968 till 1997 using MEDLINE and the key words fever, diagnosis, and Takayasu's arteritis. Results: Takayasu's arteritis is rarely reported as a cause of FUO. Noninva sive diagnostic techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tom ography scanning, gallium-67 scintigraphy, and ultrasonography may help in the diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis in the prepulseless stage. Conclusion: Takayasu's arteritis should be considered in the differential d iagnosis of FUO, especially in young women. Semin Arthritis Rheum 28:280-28 5. Copyright (C) 1999 by W.B. Saunders Company.