SYPHILITIC AORTITIS AND ACCELERATED ATHEROSCLEROSIS

The authors present the case of a 42 year old patient admitted for sur gery of massive aortic regurgitation. Investigation of this patient wh o had no significant cardiovascular risk factors, showed diffuse and a ccelerated atherosclerosis (severe stenosis at the origin of both subc lavian arteries at both superficial femoral arteries). Tertiary syphil is with neurological involvement and aortitis was confirmed by histolo gical examination (peroperative biopsy of the aortic wall). This case is unusual due to the association of early atherosclerosis with tertia ry syphilis and raises the question of the causality of syphilis in th e generation of these atherosclerotic lesions.