Rheumatology: Takayasu arteritis: practice question

A General Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Medicine · Rheumatology: Takayasu arteritis

Sample item

A 24-year-old woman has fatigue, left arm claudication, an absent left radial pulse, a supraclavicular bruit and hypertension in the right arm. ESR is raised. Which is the most likely diagnosis?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Takayasu arteritis

Takayasu arteritis is a granulomatous large-vessel vasculitis of the aorta and its branches, typically in women under 40 and common in India and Asia. It causes pulseless limbs, bruits, blood pressure differences and renovascular hypertension. CT or MR angiography shows stenoses, and glucocorticoids are the first-line treatment.

Option by option

  • A. Takayasu arteritis (correct)

    Correct. A young woman with absent pulses, bruits and inflammatory markers fits Takayasu arteritis.

  • B. Polyarteritis nodosa

    Polyarteritis nodosa spares the aorta and large arteries, and affects medium vessels such as renal and mesenteric arteries.

  • C. Thromboangiitis obliterans

    Thromboangiitis obliterans affects medium and small distal vessels in young male smokers.

  • D. Giant cell arteritis

    Giant cell arteritis occurs after the age of 50 and mainly affects cranial branches.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More General Medicine questions

Questions about this General Medicine question

What is the answer to this General Medicine question?

The best answer is A, Takayasu arteritis. Takayasu arteritis is a granulomatous large-vessel vasculitis of the aorta and its branches, typically in women under 40 and common in India and Asia.

Why is "Polyarteritis nodosa" not the answer?

Polyarteritis nodosa spares the aorta and large arteries, and affects medium vessels such as renal and mesenteric arteries.

Why is "Thromboangiitis obliterans" not the answer?

Thromboangiitis obliterans affects medium and small distal vessels in young male smokers.

Why is "Giant cell arteritis" not the answer?

Giant cell arteritis occurs after the age of 50 and mainly affects cranial branches.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Rheumatology: Takayasu arteritis in General Medicine. It causes pulseless limbs, bruits, blood pressure differences and renovascular hypertension. CT or MR angiography shows stenoses, and glucocorticoids are the first-line treatment.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Rheumatology: Takayasu arteritis?

For each disease know the classic presentation, the best test, and the first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other General Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.