Highlights & Basics
- Buerger disease is a nonatherosclerotic vasculitis resulting in segmental occlusions of small and medium-sized arteries.
- Highest incidence is in young men of southeast Mediterranean origin and of Middle and Far East origin who smoke.
- Presents as an acutely ischemic limb, more commonly affecting the lower limb. Claudication is rarely described.
- Laboratory investigations exclude other vascular disease. Appropriate imaging shows medium and small vessel occlusion. Histologic analysis of arterial specimens shows preservation of the internal elastic lamina.
- Best outcomes are associated with smoking cessation.
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Le Joncour A, Soudet S, Dupont A, et al. Long-term outcome and prognostic factors of complications in thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease): a multicenter study of 224 patients. J Am Heart Assoc. 2018 Dec 4;7(23):e010677.[Abstract][Full Text]
Olin JW, Young JR, Graor RA, et al. The changing clinical spectrum of thromboangiitis obliterans (Buerger's disease). Circulation. 1990 Nov;82(5 suppl):IV3-8. [Abstract]
Ohta T, Ishioashi H, Hosaka M, et al. Clinical and social consequences of Buerger disease. J Vasc Surg. 2004 Jan;39(1):176-80.[Abstract]
Cacione DG, Macedo CR, do Carmo Novaes F, et al. Pharmacological treatment for Buerger's disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 May 4;5:CD011033.[Abstract][Full Text]
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