Association between Takayasu's arteritis and Crohn's disease in two young women: case reports.

Among 34 patients under obervation, two young women, aged 23 and 24, develo ped Takayasu's disease (Takayasu's arteritis) associated with Crohn's disea se. The typical vacular symptoms of Takayasu's arteritis developed late dur ing a quiescent phase of Crohn's disease. We discuss the usefulness of diag nostic methods, particularly the contribution of duplex Doppler. Currently, this method appears to provide effective diagnosis of Takayasu's arteritis although clinical data, including hyposphygmy of the radial arteries and c arotidodinia (pain appearing along the carotid course) are still fundamenta l. The possible etiopathogenic relations between these two diseases and cor relation of results with those in the literature are discussed (J Mal Vasc 1999; 24: 373-376).