Is visual loss due to giant cell arteritis reversible?
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a common systemic vasculitis with an unknown etiology. It mainly affects people older than 50 years of age and often presents with symptoms such as headache, jaw claudication, visual loss, polymyalgia rheumatica and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Established blindness is irreversible if the steroid treatment is not administered within a few days. Here, we report a case of GCA in a patient with a normal ESR whose left eye perceived just light at the initiation of treatment. Immediately prior to the combined treatment with high dose oral steroids and cyclophosphamide, the ESR level had increased to 80 mm/h and the vision improved after the combined treatment four months later.
Calgüneri
Meral
M
Department of Rheumatology, Pamukkale University Hospital, Doktorlar Caddesi No: 41, 20100 Denizli, Turkey.
Cobankara
Veli
V
Ozatli
Düzgün
D
Güler
Gülnur
G
Apraş
Sule
S
Pay
Salih
S
Kiraz
Sedat
S
Ertenli
Ihsan
I
Oztürk
M Akif
MA
D000284:Administration, Oral; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013256:Steroids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013256:Steroids; D003520:Cyclophosphamide