Thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease).

Buerger disease is an chronic vasculitis mainly involving lower extremities. This disease is sometimes contrasted with Takayasu arteritis because both are speculated autoimmune mechanisms as an important factor in their etiology. Furthermore both are frequently encountered in Asian countries. However, patients with Takayasu arteritis were mostly young women in Japan and, on the contrary, patients with Buerger disease were mainly middle aged men. Recent HLA studies on Buerger disease are revealing the interesting results in comparison with those on Takayasu arteritis. The outline of Buerger disease will be described herein.