title: Invasive aspergillosis. A complication of treatment of temporal arteritis.
abstract: Temporal arteritis is a systemic necrotizing vasculitis for which the only effective treatment is systemic corticosteroids. A review of the literature suggests that there is a significant mortality rate in untreated patients but that those patients who receive adequate corticosteroid treatment rarely experience a reduced life expectancy. I had the opportunity to evaluate a patient with temporal arteritis who eventually died from disseminated aspergillosis 6 weeks after beginning corticosteroid treatment. A high index of suspicion for infections with opportunistic organisms should be maintained in patients with temporal arteritis receiving corticosteroids.
authors.affiliation: Asheville Eye Medical and Surgical Associates, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Wiggins
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001921:Brain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology; D008172:Lung Diseases, Fungal / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone