NEW YORK – Researchers have identified additional variants that contribute to risk of Takayasu arteritis, a rare inflammatory disease.
Takayasu arteritis is marked by inflammation affecting the aorta and other large arteries and can lead to heart attack, stroke, or blood loss and organ damage. It is more common among women and among East Asian populations, and there is evidence that genetic factors, including an allele in the HLA region, contribute to the disease.