diagnosis

Last reviewed 01/2018

There are four main clinical presentations of cardiovascular syphilis:

  • asymptomatic aortitis
  • aneurysm formation
  • aortic valve regurgitation
  • coronary artery ostia stenosis

Serological tests are often diagnostic in cases of cardiovascular syphilis:

  • VDRL may be negative
  • the specific fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test (FTA-ABS) remains positive, even after treatment