1550: Involvement of Iliofemoral Arteries in PET/CT Are Associated with Atherosclerotic Risk Factors in Takayasu's Arteritis

SEMA KAYMAZ-TAHRA¹, Salih Ozguven², Nuh Filizoglu², Ali Ugur Unal³, Fatma Alibaz-Oner⁴, Tunc Ones², Tanju Yusuf Erdil² and Haner Direskeneli⁵, ¹Sancaktepe Prof Dr Ilhan Varank Training and Research Hospital, Rheumatology, Istanbul, Turkey, ²Marmara University School of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey, ³Marmara University School of Medicine, Rheumatology, Istanbul, Turkey, ⁴Marmara University, Rheumatology, Istanbul, Turkey, ⁵Marmara University, Rheumatology, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey

Background/Purpose: Iliofemoral artery disease, which is commonly observed in severe atherosclerosis, may also be present in Takayasu's arteritis (TAK). In this study we aimed to evaluate the characteristics of TAK patients with or without iliofemoral artery involvement in PET/CT.

Methods: Patients fulfilling ACR 1990 classification criteria for TAK and underwent PET-CT imaging were evaluated retrospectively. Demographic and clinical data were collected from patients' charts. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors: diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, smoking history and body mass index (BMI) were recorded. PET Vascular Activity Score (PETVAS) was used to assess the quantitative PET activity.

Results: Seventy-one PET/CT scans of 52 (F/M: 42/10) patients with TAK were investigated. Mean age was 42.8±14.2 years and mean disease duration 5.6 ±5.3 years. The aortic arch (75%) was the most commonly involved artery. Iliofemoral arteries were involved in 9 (13%) patients. Patients with iliofemoral involvement were older (52.5±17.4 vs 39.9±12.4 years, p=0.036), had lower glucocorticoid (GC) dose (0 (0-7.5) vs 2.5 mg/day (0-80), p=0.049), higher CRP (36.1±28.1 vs 19.7±25.0 mg/L, p=0.041) and higher PETVAS (11.4±9.7 vs 4.2±3.9, p=0.018). Male gender (50% vs 14%, p=0.016) and current smokers (78% vs 35%, p=0.016) were also more present in the iliofemoral involvement group.

Conclusion: Involvement of iliofemoral arteries in PET/CT in TAK patients are associated with atherosclerotic risk factors more frequently. Therefore, anti-atherosclerotic approaches should be implemented more vigorously during the follow-up of TAK patients with lower extremity involvement.
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Disclosures: S. KAYMAZ-TAHRA, None; S. Ozguven, None; N. Filizoglu, None; A. Unal, None; F. Alibaz-Oner, None; T. Ones, None; T. Erdil, None; H. Direskeneli, None.