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Query: UMLS:C0039483 (giant cell arteritis)
 3,204 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Giant cell arteritis is a visually devastating disease that primarily affects the over 55 age group. This granulomatous inflammation affects large and medium-sized arteries anywhere in the body. Systemic manifestations of this disease include: jaw claudication, scalp tenderness, malaise and vertigo. Decreased appetite and/or anorexia may also be seen. Ocular manifestations may include ischemic optic neuropathy with sudden markedly reduced visual acuity. Steroid treatment is used to protect the uninvolved eye. In its classic form the disease is monitored by adjusting the steroid dosage with the erythrocyte sed rate (ESR). Prognosis for visual restoration in the involved eye is poor.
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PMID:Giant cell arteritis. 323 Feb 40

The authors presented a case of a woman, 78, with anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy--presumed Horton's disease. During 3 weeks before the patient was referred to the clinic, she had complained of strong head-, jaw- and ear-ache, bad general feeling and decreased appetite. At this time the patient was examined by a neurologist, a laryngologist and an internist, who did not find any pathology. The aim of this paper is to take into consideration the importance of early diagnosis in acute ischaemic optic neuropathy, especially that of arteritic etiology, which very often leads to blindness. This disastrous course could be avoided by early applied steroid therapy.
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PMID:[Acute ischemic optic neuropathy]. 763 6

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a common inflammatory condition of unknown aetiology with a prevalence of 1 in 133 in the over 50s, and a female to male ratio of 2:1. Symptoms develop over a matter of weeks; typically bilateral shoulder or pelvic girdle pain and stiffness, that is worse in the mornings. Associated symptoms include low-grade fever, malaise, fatigue, low mood, poor appetite, and weight loss. There is no specific diagnostic test for PMR but the usual pattern is a commensurate rise in CRP and ESR. A small proportion of PMR patients will have normal inflammatory markers. PMR is associated with giant cell arteritis (GCA). Half of patients with GCA will have some PMR symptoms and up to one fifth of patients with PMR will have evidence of GCA. Other conditions that can mimic PMR include: rheumatic disease in the elderly e.g. rheumatoid arthritis; inflammatory muscle diseases; thyroid disease; malignancy; infection; bilateral shoulder capsulitis; osteoarthritis, Parkinsonism and depressive illness. At diagnosis and each follow-up visit it is imperative to consider the potential for associated GCA. The patient should be asked about headaches, jaw claudication and visual disturbance. If there is any suspicion of GCA, urgent discussion with the rheumatologist should take place that day.
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PMID:Diagnosis and management of polymyalgia rheumatica. 2902 Jul 15