[Coronary ostial stenosis due to aortitis syndrome (Takayasu's arteritis) in a young female: report of a case].

A young female with aortitis syndrome (Takayasu's arteritis) and angina pectoris due to severe narrowing of the right and left coronary arterial ostia was presented. The thoracic and abdominal aorta and the distal coronary arteries were not involved. The exercise electrocardiogram and thallium-201 scanning were indicative of myocardial ischemia. Two-dimensional echocardiography did not disclose the stenosis of the ostia of the right and left coronary arteries. The final diagnosis was made by arteriography and coronary angiography. At the time of coronary arterial bypass graft operation, the ascending aorta in the vicinity of the coronary ostia was confirmed to be markedly thickened. Severe stenosis of the coronary ostia appeared to be due to proliferation of the aortic intima. Microscopic examination of the ascending thoracic aorta demonstrated lymphatic cell infiltrate and collagen fiber destruction in the adventitia and media. Angina pectoris may be the first symptom of the disease, when the coronary ostia are involved and the thoracic and abdominal aorta are not affected by arteritis. Both exercise electrocardiography and thallium-201 scanning prior to coronary angiography are recommended in evaluating this condition.