Temporal arteritis: report of a case.
Temporal arteritis is a rheumatic disease that affects large and medium-sized arteries. It is a severe arteritis involving both the intima and media of the vessel and is a cause of headache that is frequently diagnosed erroneously as "atypical migraine." The patients have a burning or throbbing type of pain. Ultimately, there is localized inflammation or cellulitis over the swollen, tortuous artery. Jaw claudication, eye pain, photophobia, diplopia, and even blindness may accompany the temporal symptoms. As many as 20% to 60% of inadequately treated or untreated patients will lose their vision. Blindness may or may not be preceded by visual symptoms and funduscopic changes. A variety of systemic symptoms are also often present, including nausea, vomiting, chills, dizziness, and loss of weight. Temporal arteritis is not a common diagnosis in maxillofacial practice. We are presenting a case of temporal arteritis diagnosed after a biopsy. The patient eventually lost the vision from one eye.
Zachariades
Nicholas
N
Oral and Maxillofacial Department, KAT General District Hospital, Kifissia, Athens, Greece. nzak@otenet.gr
Skoura
Cornelia
C
Spanou
Athena
A
Machera
Helen
H
D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone; D008727:Methotrexate