Abstract
The coexistence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a rare combination and described only in case reports in the literature. Although concurrent presence of RA and TA has been described only in a few liter-atures to date and the number of reports is increasing, the association between RA and TA remains to be clarified. We present a case of a female patient with both RA and TA, presenting with polyarthritis. We also reviewed the clinical features of the cases with coexistence of RA and TA.
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Figure 1.
Simple X-ray of right hand in 2007 (A), 2011 (B). Hand X-ray shows narrowing of radio-carpal and carpal bone joint space and irregular bony erosion and sclerosis of carpal bone and distal radius.
![jrd-21-331f1.tif](/upload/SynapseXML/1010jrd/thumb/jrd-21-331f1.gif)
Figure 2.
(A) Computed tomography (CT) with enhancement of chest shows known tuberculosis-destroyed lung with acute pneumonic consolidation. (B) Takayasu's arteritis in late stage of disease. Unenhanced CT scan shows extensive calcification composing abdominal aortic lumen. (C) Enhanced CT scan shows stenosis of left common carotid artery.
![jrd-21-331f2.tif](/upload/SynapseXML/1010jrd/thumb/jrd-21-331f2.gif)
Figure 3.
Catheter angiography shows infrarenal abdominal aortic stenosis with extensive collateral vessel formation. Although atherosclerosis commonly affects infrarenal abdominal aorta, atherosclerosis usually produces abrupt caliber changes just beyond stenosis sites; the smooth tapered nature of this stenosis favors TA.
![jrd-21-331f3.tif](/upload/SynapseXML/1010jrd/thumb/jrd-21-331f3.gif)
Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of our case and previous case reports of coexisting RA and TA