entecavir and Latent-Tuberculosis

We report a rare case of Takayasu's arteritis with isolated pulmonary artery stenosis in the presence of active hepatitis B and latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a middle-aged Asian woman who initially presented with severe dyspnea on exertion and recurrent syncope, occasional burning chest pains, and fatigue. Therapy of the active hepatitis B and latent M. tuberculosis infection together with a course of methotrexate led to a slight reversal of the symptoms, as angioplasty with or without stenting was not an option. The constellation described here hints at the possible link between hepatitis B and M. tuberculosis infection and the development of Takayasu's arteritis. The case also supports the little evidence available indicating that treatment of active hepatitis B infection could positively influence the course of Takayasu's arteritis.

Topics: Angiography, Digital Subtraction; Antitubercular Agents; Antiviral Agents; Azathioprine; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; Glucocorticoids; Guanine; Hepatitis B, Chronic; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Isoniazid; Latent Tuberculosis; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Methotrexate; Middle Aged; Positron-Emission Tomography; Pulmonary Artery; Radiopharmaceuticals; Recurrence; Stenosis, Pulmonary Artery; Takayasu Arteritis