giant cell arteritis

Also known as Giant cell arteritis (disorder), Giant cell arteritis NOS (disorder), Horton's disease, Temporal arteritis (disorder), Temporal arteritis, Cranial Arteritis, Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Key facts

Other names: Temporal arteritis, cranial arteritis, Horton disease, senile arteritis, granulomatous arteritis
Specialty: Rheumatology , emergency medicine , Immunology
Symptoms: Headache , pain over the temples, flu-like symptoms , double vision , difficulty opening the mouth
Complications: Blindness , aortic dissection , aortic aneurysm , polymyalgia rheumatica
Usual onset: Age greater than 50
Causes: Inflammation of the small blood vessels within the walls of larger arteries
Diagnostic method: Based on symptoms and blood tests, confirmed by biopsy of the temporal artery
Differential diagnosis: Takayasu arteritis , stroke , primary amyloidosis
Treatment: Steroids , bisphosphonates , proton-pump inhibitor
Prognosis: Life expectancy (typically normal)
Frequency

~11 min read

Article

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), also called temporal arteritis, is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of large blood vessels. It is the most common type of systemic vasculitis affecting adults. Symptoms may include headache, pain over the temples, flu-like symptoms, double vision, and difficulty opening the mouth. Complications can include blockage of the artery to the eye with resulting blindness, as well as aortic dissection, and aortic aneurysm. GCA is frequently associated with polymyalgia rheumatica.

The cause is unknown. The underlying mechanism involves inflammation of the small blood vessels that supply the walls of larger arteries. This mainly affects arteries around the head and neck, though some in the chest may also be affected. Diagnosis is suspected based on symptoms, blood tests, and medical imaging, and confirmed by biopsy of the temporal artery. However, in about 10% of people the temporal artery is normal.