title: Branch retinal artery occlusion as the initial sign of giant cell arteritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a patient whose initial sign of giant cell arteritis was a branch retinal artery occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined a 77-year-old woman who developed arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy three weeks after an isolated non-embolic branch retinal artery occlusion occurred in the same eye.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diagnosis of giant cell arteritis was confirmed by temporal artery biopsy after the patient was treated with intravenous corticosteroids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although a rare cause of branch retinal vascular occlusion, giant cell arteritis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a non-embolic branch retinal artery occlusion in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fineman
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Savino
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Federman
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Eagle
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000209:etiology; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000473:pathology