Direct brain involvement of Takayasu arteritis treated with rituximab and infliximab: a case report

Seondeuk Kim; Seon-Jae Ahn; Han Sang Lee; Woo-Jin Lee; Jangsup Moon; Jin Kyun Park; Kon Chu

doi:10.47936/encephalitis.2021.00108

Direct brain involvement of Takayasu arteritis treated with rituximab and infliximab: a case report

Encephalitis. 2022 Jan;2(1):9-13. doi: 10.47936/encephalitis.2021.00108. Epub 2021 Oct 5.

Authors

Seondeuk Kim^{1

2}, Seon-Jae Ahn^{1

2}, Han Sang Lee^{1

2}, Woo-Jin Lee^{1

2}, Jangsup Moon^{1

2

3}, Jin Kyun Park⁴, Kon Chu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
² Laboratory for Neurotherapeutics, Center for Medical Innovation, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
³ Rare Disease Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
⁴ Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is a systemic vasculitis involving large arteries. Reports of direct central nervous system (CNS) involvement in TAK are extremely rare in the literature. In addition, treatment for direct involvement has not been reported. Herein, we describe a case of encephalitis in a TAK patient who presented with fever and headache at the first attack, then cognitive impairment at the second attack. The patient improved with rituximab and especially infliximab. These findings indicate the usefulness of rituximab and infliximab to treat the direct CNS manifestations in TAK.

Keywords: Central nervous system; Encephalitis; Takayasu arteritis.

Publication types

Case Reports