Reading Time:
Pathology
Systemic vasculitis affecting medium and large arteries
Pathogenesis involves a chronic inflammatory process, predominantly of large arteries, resulting in the elaboration of various cytokines
Aetiology
Giant cell arteritis is commonly associated with polymyalgia rheumatica.
Mostly aged >50 years, female>male
Signs
Tenderness over temporal arteries, reduced visual acuity,
Symptoms
Headache, scalp tenderness, sudden blindness in one eye, fatigue, weight loss,
fever, jaw claudication
Investigations
Bloods: ESR
Temporal Artery Biopsy: Histology shows inflammatory infiltrate involving the
entire vessel wall
Treatment
Medical: High doses corticosteroids
Maintain high-dose steroid therapy only long enough for symptoms to
resolve and then taper to a maintenance dosage over several months
Prognosis
Relapse is common
Blindness, aortitis, aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm
Key Facts
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, sapien platea morbi dolor lacus nunc, nunc ullamcorper. Felis aliquet egestas vitae, nibh ante quis quis dolor sed mauris.
Key Images
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, sapien platea morbi dolor lacus nunc, nunc ullamcorper. Felis aliquet egestas vitae, nibh ante quis quis dolor sed mauris.
Key References
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, sapien platea morbi dolor lacus nunc, nunc ullamcorper. Felis aliquet egestas vitae, nibh ante quis quis dolor sed mauris.