Temporal arteritis

Question 1

What is it?

Answer 1

granulomatous

inflammatory disease

of medium and larger arteries
(especially in the head, sometimes thoracic aorta involved)

Question 2

Also called…

Answer 2

giant cell arteritis

Question 3

epidemiology

Answer 3

older (>50yo)
women
whites (esp. Northern European)

Question 4

pathogenesis

Answer 4

autoimmune

deranged cell-mediated immunity

Question 5

pathology

Answer 5

segmental
transmural
chronic

granulomatous inflammation w/ multinucleated giant cells

centering on internal elastic lamina (destroying it)

intimal thickening
cell proliferation
luminal stenosis

Question 6

signs and symptoms

Answer 6

abrubt OR insidious onset

HEAD proplems!

headache
visual disturbances
jaw claudication
swollen tender artery
scalp tenderness
fever

Question 7

Symptoms that most likely indicate no blindness will occur…

Answer 7

fever, malaise, weight loss

Question 8

Symptoms that make diagnosis 4 times more likely…

Answer 8

Diplopia,
jaw claudication
swollen tender artery

Question 9

Can be associated with

Answer 9

polymyalgia rheumatica

chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of muscles (spectrum w/ temporal arteritis?)

Question 10

Complications

Answer 10

blindness
aortic aneurysm
arterial dissection
arterial rupture

Question 11

Diagnosis made by…

Answer 11

ESR

biopsy

Question 12

Treatment

Answer 12

Definitely (can prevent blindness)

steroids and sometimes aspirin