Nakagomi et al developed the Combined Arteritis Damage Score (CARDS) to evaluate a patient with large vessel vasculitis. The authors are from Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge, University of Oxford, Chiba University and Lund University.
Patient selection: large vessel vasculitis
Imaging studies (enhanced CT, MR angiography) are done on 25 arteries
:
(1) left and right carotid arteries
(2) left and right vertebral arteries
(3) brachiocephalic arter7
(4) left and right subclavian arteries
(5) left and right axillary arteries
(6) ascending aorta
(7) aortic arch
(8) descending aorta
(9) abdominal aorta
(10) celiac artery
(11) superior mesenteric artery
(12) left and right renal artery
(13) left and right iliac artery
(14) left and right pulmonary artery
(15) coronary arteries (right, left anterior descending, left circumflex, left main)
Parameters:
(1) number of foci showing mild stenosis (< 50% occlusion)
(2) number of foci showing moderate or severe stenosis (50 to 99% occlusion)
(3) number of occlusions (100% stenosis)
(4) number of aneurysms
CARDS =
= (0.6 * (number mild stenosis)) + (1.2 * (number moderate or large stenosis)) + (1.2 * (number occlusions)) + (0.8 * (number aneurysms))
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: potentially large, depending on severity of vasculitis
• The higher the score the more severe the vasculitis.
