Aortitis

The underlying illness that is driving the inflammation determines the symptoms of aortitis, and in the early stages, there may be no symptoms. 

Common general signs include: 

• Back or abdominal pain 
• Fever 

When the aortitis is associated with an underlying condition such as vasculitis or another rheumatic disorder, symptoms include: 

• Headaches 
• Fatigue 
• Fever 
• Pain and weakness of the arms and legs 
• Chest pain 
• Shortness of breath 
• Loss of vision/double vision 
• Unexplained weight loss 
• Dizziness/fainting 
• Difficulty with coordination and balance 
• Night sweats 
• Joint and/or muscle pain 

If you experience any of these symptoms, visit a General Practitioner (General Practice doctor), who might refer you to a Cardiologist, for proper diagnosis and treatment to prevent further complications. 

It is unclear what causes aortitis exactly. Vasculitis is categorized as an autoimmune condition, which is a disease that develops when the body's natural defense system mistakenly targets healthy tissue. 

There are three different types of aortitis causes: 

1. Noninfectious causes: 

• Rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or lupus 
• Some forms of vasculitis, such as Behcets’ syndrome, giant cell arteritis, and others 
• Other inflammatory disorders, such as sarcoidosis and others 

1. Infectious causes: 

• Infections associated with aortitis include tuberculosis, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, among others. 

1. Isolated aortitis: 

• This is inflammation of the aorta without any identifiable underlying cause. Other vessels are not affected. 

• Physical examination may indicate decreased or absent pulses in the arms and/or legs, atypical heart sounds or sounds across the major arteries or a difference in blood pressure between the arms and legs. 
• Blood tests detect abnormal levels of antibodies or proteins in the blood, which can indicate inflammation or infection. And assessment of kidney and liver function. 
• Echocardiogram to examine the heart. 
• Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) abnormalities of the aorta such as aneurysms or narrowing of the vessels. 

The goals of therapy include both the immediate treatment of aortic inflammation, or infection in rare cases, and the management of aortic and arterial complications. 

Effective treatment of aortitis may require the coordinated efforts of a team of doctors (primary care provider, rheumatologist, Infectious disease specialist, cardiologist, cardiovascular surgeon, and ophthalmologist) 

The cause of inflammation affects the course of aortitis treatment. In cases of isolated aortitis, and aortitis associated with vasculitis or other autoimmune disorders, treatments may include: 

Medications to control inflammation: 

Corticosteroids such as prednisone. 

Immunosuppressant drugs (such as methotrexate, and azathioprine) keep the immune system from attacking healthy tissue. 

Biologic agents such as infliximab or rituximab may be prescribed. They target certain parts of the immune system to control inflammation. 

Medication to control infection: 

Aortitis caused by infection is rare but can be life-threatening and must be treated promptly with antibiotics. 

Surgery is sometimes needed to repair an aneurysm or to bypass blocked arteries.