Ehlers-Danlos syndrome mimicking mesenteric vasculitis: therapy, then diagnosis

Treatment of vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To provide the collected evidence from all literature reports.

BACKGROUND

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder with serious hemorrhagic consequences. Most experience on treatment is based on case reports and small case series.

METHOD

A systematic literature review was performed. PubMed and reference lists were scrutinized.

RESULTS

A total of 231 patients were identified with no gender preponderance. Aneurysms were present in 40%, often multiple. In 33%, there was an arterial rupture without an underlying aneurysm. Carotidocavernous fistula was seen in 18%. After open surgery the mortality was 30%; after endovascular procedures, it was 24%; in a group of miscellaneous cases, it was 60%; and the overall mortality was 39%. The median age of patients at death was 31 years. The median follow-up time was 12 months (5 days-7 years), but in 20% cases, it was not reported. In only 29 of the 119 recent patients (24%) the mutation was verified with molecular genetic testing.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular EDS is a serious disorder with high mortality, which does not seem to have been influenced by new treatment methods. Invasive methods should be used only when necessary, primarily to save the patients' life. Whenever possible, the genetic molecular defect should be identified. The results of this review may be affected by publications bias. Ideally, a prospective registry should be created.

The successful use of recombinant factor VIIa in a patient with vascular-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Vascular-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is an inherited connective tissue disorder resulting in an increased risk of serious peri-operative bleeding during surgery for spontaneous organ or vessel rupture. The excessive bleeding may result in coagulopathy, and thus compound the difficulty in securing surgical haemostasis. With the advent of recombinant factor VIIa, a new therapy has become available for the management of intractable surgical bleeding.

Vascular imaging

Many rheumatic diseases affect the vasculature, either as a 'primary' manifestation of the disease process (as in vasculitis or scleroderma-spectrum disorders) or as a result of accelerated atherosclerosis. Recent years have seen very major developments in, and refinements of, vascular imaging methods. It is likely that this pace of development will continue, enhancing the rheumatologist's ability to diagnose different musculoskeletal conditions and follow their progression, using minimally invasive techniques. In this chapter, we describe these recent advances in vascular imaging techniques, concentrating on those most relevant to the practising clinician, but also discussing methods which are being used in clinical research. Three main groups of imaging modalities are described: large vessel imaging (X-ray, magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomography (CT) angiography), nailfold microscopy and thermography. For each of these, the method(s) and then the clinical and research applications are discussed. Laser Doppler, a research technique, is also described.