Superior Mesenteric Artery Vasculitis in Behçet's Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review

Expect the Unexpected: A Rare Case of Isolated Superior Mesenteric Artery Vasculitis

Vasculitis of the mesenteric vessels is considered rare and typically occurs as a part of systemic inflammation. Isolated mesenteric artery vasculitis without systemic involvement is rarely reported in the literature. Clinical presentation is usually nonspecific which can range from abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting to gangrene and intestinal perforation in severe cases. Recognizing mesenteric artery vasculitis as a potential cause of abdominal pain can be challenging, and delay in diagnosis can lead to significant mortality and morbidity. Herein, we present a case of a 19-year-old male who initially presented with abdominal pain. Later, isolated superior mesenteric artery (SMA) vasculitis was confirmed by CT angiography. Treatment with systemic steroids alone resulted in a marked improvement in the patient's symptoms as well as in radiographic findings.

Successful conservative treatment of an isolated inflammatory superior mesenteric artery aneurysm

Inflammatory superior mesenteric artery aneurysm is an extremely rare but life-threatening condition that can result in fatal rupture. Early surgery has been emphasized to prevent aneurysm rupture. We present a case that was successfully managed with conservative treatment. The patient was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy followed by oral prednisolone. Steroid therapy should be considered for unruptured inflammatory superior mesenteric artery aneurysms before surgery.

Ultrasonographic measurement of the vascular wall thickness and intima-media thickness in patients with Behçet's disease with symptoms or signs of vascular involvement: A cross-sectional study

Objectives

This study aims to measure and compare bilateral carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), bilateral jugular, common femoral, and main portal vein wall thicknesses (VWTs) in Behçet’s disease (BD) patients with and without vascular involvement to obtain a cut-off value for vascular complications and determine their relationship with disease activity.

Patients and methods

Sixty-three BD patients (41 males, 22 females; median age: 38.0 years; min 20 - max 71 years) and 30 healthy control subjects (14 males, 16 females; median age: 40.3 years; min 21 - max 60 years) were included in this cross-sectional study between February and March 2020. According to imaging findings, BD patients were divided into two groups as those with and without vascular complications. Disease duration, medical treatment and BD manifestations of patients were questioned. Disease activity was evaluated using the Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF) and the Behçet's Syndrome Activity Scale (BSAS). Two radiologists blinded to the diagnosis of BD used ultrasound to measure VWT and CIMT. Receiver operating characteristics were assessed to obtain sensitivity and specificity values for each VWT and CIMT.

Results

The groups were similar in terms of age, sex, and body mass index (p>0.05). There was a significant difference between the BD groups when the BDCAF and BSAS scores were compared, while there was no difference between them in terms of disease duration and medical treatment (p>0.05). All VWTs and CIMTs were significantly higher in patients with BD compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the BD groups in terms of CIMT, jugular and common femoral VWTs (p>0.05). But portal VWT was significantly higher in patients with vascular involvement (p<0.05). A cut-off value of ≥1.35 mm yielded a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 82.4% for the diagnosis of vascular involvement with the highest Youden's index (area under the curve, 0.869; 95% confidence interval, 0.783 to 0.956).

Conclusion

Portal VWT has high sensitivity and specificity for the screening of vascular involvement in patients with BD.

The Superior Mesenteric Artery: From Syndrome in the Young to Vascular Atherosclerosis in the Old

This review is directed at increasing awareness of two diverse rare upper gastrointestinal problems that occur at opposite ends of the age spectrum and are difficult to diagnose and treat. The Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS) likely involves a young patient, especially female, and is especially associated with rapid weight loss, resulting in relative strangulation of the duodenum by a narrowing of the angle between the Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) and the aorta. On the other hand, atherosclerosis of the SMA is associated most likely with postprandial upper intestinal ischemia and abdominal pain occurs in the elderly at high risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease. Medical management of the SMAS in the young involves good alimentation and weight gain to overall increase the intestinal fat pad. Medical management of SMA atherosclerotic ischemia in the elderly is directed at marked lipid lowering with atherosclerotic plaque stabilization or even regression. If needed, surgery for SMAS can be attempted laparoscopically with duodenojejunoscopy which is the most popular procedure but there are also more conservative possibilities that avoid division of the duodenum. In addition, sometimes direct vision is needed to successfully operate on SMAS. If surgery is needed for SMA atherosclerotic ischemia, it is usually attempted endoscopically with angioplasty and stent placement. Most important, in the case of these two rare clinical entities, is that the clinician have a suspicion of their presence when indicated so that the young or old patient can be spared unnecessary suffering and return to good health in a timely fashion.