Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0039483 (giant cell arteritis)
 3,204 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We report the case of a 62-year old woman hospitalized for acute ischaemia of the right lower limb, caused by stenosis of the superficial femoral artery associated with thrombosis of the deep femoral artery. Thromboendarterectomy was performed, and histology of the operative specimen showed thickening of the media with clusters of giant cells and fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina, without atheroma. The diagnostic of giant cell arteritis was then considered and confirmed by the presence of headaches, 38 degrees C fever and inflammatory syndrome with ESR at 75 mm in the first hour. On the other hand, biopsy of a temporal artery was negative. Corticosteroid therapy was prescribed and gave excellent clinical, laboratory and arteriographic results. It has now been demonstrated that the arteries of the lower limbs may be involved in Horton's giant cell arteritis, which is often overlooked. This involvement is rare and exceptionally proven at histology. Clinically, the most frequently described form is one of pseudo-arteritis with claudication, but a few cases of gangrene have been reported. Withdrawal of corticosteroid might be a facilitating factor. As in our patient, the arteriographic lesions are often segmental, multifocal and symmetrical, predominant in the superficial femoral artery and the arteries of the legs. The lesions regress under corticosteroid therapy, and surgery can usually be avoided. Anticoagulants are commonly prescribed when the large vessels are involved. When surgery is not indicated the diagnosis can be confirmed by biopsy of the temporal artery, which is positive in the majority of cases.
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PMID:[Horton's disease disclosed by involvement of the lower limbs]. 823 46

A patient with giant cell arteritis (GCA) who developed scalp necrosis (SN) is described and 23 other cases in the English language literature are reviewed. SN is rare and occurs in older patients of mean age 77 yr. Thirteen patients presented to dermatologists. Nineteen (79%) had other serious complications of GCA: visual loss in 16, gangrene of the tongue in four and nasal septum necrosis in one. The mean interval between the onset of symptoms of GCA and SN was 3.0 months in the 19 cases which antedated corticosteroid therapy. SN resulted from active arteritis and no case was definitely linked to temporal artery biopsy. Scalp healing was complete or progressing satisfactorily in 18 cases (75%). SN is a potentially reversible complication of GCA and adequate corticosteroid therapy is mandatory. In the current case. SN related to inadequate dosage of prednisolone.
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PMID:Scalp necrosis in giant cell arteritis and review of the literature. 925 21

Giant cell arteritis is an inflammatory disease that can affect the arteries anywhere in the body. Two cases are reported in which the arteries of the lower limbs were involved. Intermittent claudication with a walking distance of only 30 m was the inaugural manifestation in both cases. A biopsy of the superficial femoral artery provided the diagnosis in the first case. Ergotamine toxicity was considered initially in the second case. Acute ischemia and gangrene requiring amputation can complicate giant cell arteritis of the lower limbs and consequently corticosteroid therapy in an effective dose should be given as soon as the diagnosis is made. The inflammatory arterial lesions improve under therapy, but irreversible fibrosis with stenosis can develop if treatment is initiated late.
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PMID:Giant cell arteritis involving the lower limbs. 933 33

The long term course of thromboangiitis obliterans as well as frequency and extent of major or minor limb amputations depend almost exclusively on the smoking behaviour of the patients. Superficial phlebitis accompanying an acute relapse responds well to high-dose aspirin or NSAIDs. Critical limb ischemia is treated by intra-arterial or intravenous prostaglandins (Alprostadil, Iloprost). Lokal measures for finger, toe, or foot gangrene do not differ from comparable sequelae of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Revascularisation procedures (angioplasty, surgery) have a high rate of technical failure and are indicated only in rare atypical situations. Corticosteroids are the therapy of choice for both vasculitides of large muscular arteries, i.e. temporal arteritis (M. Horton) and Takayasu arteritis. Combination therapy is restricted to steroid refractory disease; while this is the exception in temporal arteritis, it occurs in up to 50% of patients with Takayasu arteritis. Critical limb ischemia due to giant cell arteritis may persist even if the inflammatory activity of the disease is well controlled. Revascularisation procedures in Takayasu arteritis may have good results; as with all other therapeutic measures in this disease, they should be provided by specialized centers. Treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon requires patient evaluation for signs or symptoms of an underlying disease, i.e. some kind of connective tissue disease. Strength and frequency of attacks depend on a number of different factors (triggers) which in a given patient may not be completely understood. Exposition prophylaxis for known triggers and vasodilator drugs are the main therapeutic measures in Raynaud's phenomenon. Careful documentation of disease activity provided, non-classical remedies (behavioural psychotherapy, acupuncture) may be attempted.
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PMID:[Special aspects of therapy of non-atherosclerotic vascular diseases]. 1066 28

A 77-year-old-man with giant cell arteritis who developed bitemporal scalp ulcerations is described. Since 1946 when Cooke et al. reported the first case of scalp necrosis there were approximately 55 cases published. Scalp ulceration is a rare complication of giant cell arteritis and occurs mainly in elderly persons, particularly women. About half of all patients were presented to dermatologists. Most of the patients (70%) had other serious complications of giant cell arteritis: blindness, gangrene of the tongue and nasal septum necrosis. Seventy percent of the cases were confirmed by a temporal artery biopsy. The necrosis were of varying extent and uni- or bilateral. Although, in most cases necrosis has been located bilaterally as in the presented case. Scalp healing was complete nearly in all patients by conservative treatment within a year. Scalp ulceration is a potentially reversible complication of giant cell arteritis which indicates extensive vessel involvement and adequate coricosteroid therapy is required and essential.
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PMID:An unusual presentation of giant cell arteritis. 1596 96

Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is a multisystem disease with a high mortality rate. It is characterized by peripheral blood eosinophilia and eosinophilic infiltration of the skin and many other organs. The commonest cutaneous features include erythematous pruritic maculopapules and nodules, angio-oedema or urticarial plaques. However, some case reports have indicated that eosinophilic cellulitis, cutaneous necrotizing eosinophilic vasculitis, Raynaud's phenomenon and digital gangrene may also occur as cutaneous features of HES. Juvenile temporal arteritis (JTA) of unknown cause is characterized by an asymptomatic nodule in the temporal artery area in young adults. Histologically, the lesion is characterized by a significant intimal thickening with moderate eosinophilic infiltrates, constriction or occlusion of the vascular lumen and absence of giant cells. We report a patient with HES presenting with eosinophilic cellulitis, Raynaud's phenomenon, digital gangrene and JTA. JTA may also be one of the features of HES.
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PMID:Hypereosinophilic syndrome with various skin lesions and juvenile temporal arteritis. 1907 87

The differential of scalp ulceration in older patients should include several causes, such as herpes zoster, irritant contact dermatitis, ulcerated skin tumors, postirradiation ulcers, microbial infections, pyoderma gangrenosum, and giant cell arteritis. Scalp necrosis associated with giant cell arteritis was first described in the 1940s. The presence of this dermatological sign within giant cell arteritis represents a severity marker of this disease, with a higher mean age at diagnosis, an elevated risk of vision loss and tongue gangrene, as well as overall higher mortality rates, in comparison to patients not presenting this manifestation. Even though scalp necrosis due to giant cell arteritis is exceptional, a high level of suspicion must be held for this clinical finding, in order to initiate prompt and proper treatment and avoid blindness.
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PMID:Giant cell arteritis presenting as scalp necrosis. 2178 66


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