Stroke -a rare initial manifestation of Takayasu's arteritis

Stroke as an initial manifestation is rare in Takayasu's arteritis, a condition affecting young females. Here we present a 28 year old female with acute onset of right sided weakness as an initial presentation. She had severe uncontrolled hypertension and angiogram revealed normal aortic arch vessels, occlusion of abdominal aorta and narrow renal arteries. Her CT brain showed moderate infarct in left capsuloganglionic region. Possible mechanisms of stroke in Takayasu's arteritis are discussed. Importance of screening for Takayasu's arteritis in young stroke is highlighted.