Temporal arteritis, also called giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammatory disease of blood vessels (most commonly large and medium arteries of the head). It is therefore a form of vasculitis. The name comes from the most frequently involved vessel (temporal artery which branches from the external carotid artery of the neck). The alternative name (giant cell arteritis) reflects the type of inflammatory cell that is involved (as seen on biopsy).

The disorder may coexist (in one quarter of cases) with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), which is characterized by sudden onset of pain and stiffness in muscles (pelvis, shoulder) of the body and seen in the elderly. Other diseases related with temporal arteritis are systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and severe infections.

Symptoms

It is more common in females and after 50 years of age. Below this age it is extremely rare.

Patients present with:

• fever
• headache
• tenderness and sensitivity on the scalp
• jaw claudication
• reduced visual acuity (blurred vision)
• acute visual loss (sudden blindness)

The inflammation may affect blood supply to the structures providing vision, and blurred vision or sudden blindness may occur, accordingly. Loss of vision of both eyes may occur very abruptly and this disease is therefore an medical emergency.

Diagnosis

Palpation of the head reveals sensitive and thick arteries with or without pulsation. Sedimentation rate is very high in most of the patients, but may be normal in approximately 20% of cases. The inflammation of the vessel must be demonstrated by removing a small part of the vessel (biopsy) and analysing it for giant cells infiltrating the tissue. Since the vessels are involved in a patchy pattern, there may be unaffected areas on the vessel and the biopsy might have been taken from these parts. So, a negative result does not definitely rule out the diagnosis.

Treatment

Corticosteroids must be started as soon as the diagnosis is suspected (even before the diagnosis is confirmed by biopsy).