The term 'aortitis' refers to inflammation of the aorta. Aortitis is known to occur in a variety of vasculitides and connective tissue diseases, such as giant cell arteritis (GCA), Takayasu arteritis (TAK), rheumatoid arthritis, and spondyloarthropathies, among others. This study will establish a longitudinal cohort for these diseases.

This study will develop a longitudinal cohort of patients with different types of aortitis to systematically study the natural history, optimal treatments, and outcomes in this group of diseases. This will provide a resource for future studies and for identification of new biomarkers of aortitis for purposes of diagnosis, disease activity measurement, disease damage assessment, determination of disease states, and evaluation of treatment response.

Inclusion Criteria:

Subjects will be included if they meet one of the following criteria:

1. Previous or current microscopic evidence of aortitis (active or healed) on surgical specimen obtained during aortic resection
2. Previous or current radiographic aortitis that could include circumferential aortic wall thickening of at least 3mm on CT or MRI or increased PET FDG uptake in the aorta at values equal to or greater than the liver, in absence of an alternative explanation for the radiographic findings.

Exclusion

1. Subjects already enrolled in one of the other VCRC longitudinal cohorts: 5502, 5503, 5504, 5505, and 5506.
2. Inability of participants (or their guardians in the case of children) to give informed consent and to sign the consent form.

A total of 250 patients with aortitis will be enrolled into the VCRC longitudinal observational cohort study and followed for up to ten years. The study will be conducted at major vasculitis centers in North America, utilizing the Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC) at each site.