Coeliac artery vasculitis: an uncommon aetiology of abdominal pain.

Abstract

A woman in her 40s with a history of a subarachnoid haemorrhage complicated by ischaemic infarcts presented with 1 week of left upper quadrant abdominal pain and was noted to have elevated inflammatory markers. CT images demonstrated inflammatory changes and stenosis of the coeliac artery consistent with isolated coeliac artery vasculitis. Extensive rheumatologic and serologic tests were negative. The patient was treated with oral corticosteroids, leading to significant symptomatic and radiographic improvement. This case highlights the rarity of isolated coeliac artery vasculitis, with only three other cases described in the literature, and underscores the importance of considering vasculitis in patients with unexplained abdominal pain.