title: A rare case of temporal arteritis with rheumatoid arthritis and interstitial lung disease mimicking pulpo-periodontal pathology.
abstract: A 75-year-old male patient was planned for dental treatment due to pain of suspected pulpo-periodontal origin in relation to right maxillary first molar. Careful evaluation revealed the pain to be non-odontogenic in nature and led to the diagnosis of temporal arteritis with rheumatoid arthritis along with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Characteristic findings of temporal arteritis include headache, jaw claudication, visual loss, and constitutional symptoms (malaise, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite). Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) remains the gold standard for diagnosis. Additional diagnostic tests include blood tests (ESR, CRP). This article reports and discusses how the orofacial manifestations can lead to misdiagnosis of temporal arteritis. Hence, temporal arteritis should be included in the differential diagnosis of orofacial pain in the elderly especially to prevent complications like vision loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Ajay Reddy
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Palle
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Dulapalli Sharon
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Sylvia
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Valli
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Renuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontics, Army College of Dental Sciences, Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Challa
keywords: Interstitial lung disease; polymyalgia rheumatica; rheumatoid arthritis; temporal arteritis