Annuloaortic ectasia in a case of Takayasu's arteritis associated with Hashimoto's disease

A 51 year old woman was diagnosed as having Hashimoto's disease and annuloaortic ectasia associated with severe aortic regurgitation. The histology of the wall of the ascending aorta showed typical features of Takayasu's arteritis. Though almost all cases of annuloaortic ectasia have been ascribed to cystic medial necrosis of the aorta with or without stigmata of Marfan's syndrome, Takayasu's arteritis should be considered as one of the aetiologies of annuloaortic ectasia with severe aortic regurgitation.