Prognostic Value of the Hata Angiographic Classification for Long-Term Outcomes in Takayasu Arteritis: A Single-Center, Retrospective Study
TL;DR
The Hata classification appears to be a robust predictor of vascular intervention but not MACE in TAK, and greater anatomical disease extension and baseline aortic insufficiency were associated with increased procedural risk, whereas MACE risk was associated with diagnostic delay and male sex.
Abstract
Abstract Background The prognostic utility of the Hata angiographic classification for long-term outcomes in Takayasu arteritis (TAK) remains unclear. Objectives To evaluate the prognostic value of the Hata classification for predicting major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and the need for vascular interventions in patients with TAK. Methods This single-center, retrospective cohort study included patients diagnosed with TAK between 2000 and 2025. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors, with statistical significance defined as p < 0.05. Results Of 203 patients initially identified, 18 were excluded. The final cohort included 185 patients, of whom 80.0% were women, with a median age at diagnosis of 29 years. Type V was the predominant angiographic pattern (64.9%). During a median follow-up of 10.8 years, MACE occurred in 35.7% of patients, while 37.3% required vascular intervention. The Hata classification was not associated with MACE occurrence. Independent predictors of MACE included female sex, which was protective (odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.86; p = 0.021), and longer symptom onset-to-diagnosis time, which increased risk (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.03-1.18; p = 0.006). In contrast, the Hata classification independently predicted the need for vascular intervention. Hata Type I showed a strong protective association compared with Type V (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.01-0.53; p = 0.029). Baseline aortic insufficiency was also independently associated with a higher likelihood of intervention (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.18-5.60; p = 0.018) (Central Illustration). Conclusions The Hata classification appears to be a robust predictor of vascular intervention but not MACE in TAK. Greater anatomical disease extension (Type V) and baseline aortic insufficiency were associated with increased procedural risk, whereas MACE risk was associated with diagnostic delay and male sex. The observed long-term dissociation between high rates of clinical remission (92.4%) and continued disease progression underscores the importance of imaging-based surveillance and highlights the need for prospective multicenter studies to validate these findings.