Takayasu Arteritis in a 15-Year-Old Male Presenting with Constitutional Symptoms and Upper Limb Pulse Deficit: A Case Report a Resource-Limited Settings.
Hamda Abdirahman Mohamed, Nouh Ismail Botan, Sadam Ismail Ahmed et al.
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Case in brief
A 15-year-old male presented with several months of low-grade fever, fatigue, and joint pain, culminating in chest pain, vomiting, and significant weight loss. Physical examination revealed absent left radial and brachial pulses. Imaging showed concentric arterial wall thickening and stenosis in major arteries, leading to a diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. The patient was treated with prednisolone and methotrexate, with follow-up planned.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
A high index of suspicion and thorough physical examination, particularly bilateral pulse palpation, are crucial for diagnosing Takayasu arteritis in resource-limited settings.
Why it matters
This case underscores the importance of clinical acumen in diagnosing rare conditions like Takayasu arteritis, especially when advanced imaging options are limited.