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Vol 12, No 1 (2006)
Case report
Published online: 2006-03-27
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Large-vessel giant cell arteritis

Angelika Pyszel, Ryszard Andrzejak, Andrzej Szuba
DOI: 10.5603/aa.9880
·
Acta Angiologica 2006;12(1):34-41.

open access

Vol 12, No 1 (2006)
Case reports
Published online: 2006-03-27

Abstract

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a primary systemic vasculitis. The disease predominantly affects the elderly population, more frequently women. A constant increase in GCA incidence during last decades has been reported. Chronic autoimmunological processes within the arterial wall in GCA leads to narrowing or even complete occlusion of artery lumen. Severe complications of GCA include end-organ ischemia, with frequently occurring visual loss and aortic aneurysm formation as a result of mural weakness. “Classic” GCA involves extracranial branches of the carotid arteries; most frequently the temporal artery. Giant cell arteritis isolated to large vessels without involvement of the cranial arteries represents a less common manifestation of the disease and may cause diagnostic difficulties. Early treatment with corticosteroids is the only safeguard chance to restrain and at least partially reverse serious effects of the disease. The clinician's awareness of both manifestations of GCA is crucial for early diagnosis and therapy.
Here we report the case of a 67-year-old woman with large-vessel GCA, affecting the aortic arch, the carotid and the subclavian arteries.

Abstract

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a primary systemic vasculitis. The disease predominantly affects the elderly population, more frequently women. A constant increase in GCA incidence during last decades has been reported. Chronic autoimmunological processes within the arterial wall in GCA leads to narrowing or even complete occlusion of artery lumen. Severe complications of GCA include end-organ ischemia, with frequently occurring visual loss and aortic aneurysm formation as a result of mural weakness. “Classic” GCA involves extracranial branches of the carotid arteries; most frequently the temporal artery. Giant cell arteritis isolated to large vessels without involvement of the cranial arteries represents a less common manifestation of the disease and may cause diagnostic difficulties. Early treatment with corticosteroids is the only safeguard chance to restrain and at least partially reverse serious effects of the disease. The clinician's awareness of both manifestations of GCA is crucial for early diagnosis and therapy.
Here we report the case of a 67-year-old woman with large-vessel GCA, affecting the aortic arch, the carotid and the subclavian arteries.

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Keywords

vasculitis; autoimmune disease; stroke; corticosteroids

About this article
Title

Large-vessel giant cell arteritis

Journal

Acta Angiologica

Issue

Vol 12, No 1 (2006)

Article type

Case report

Pages

34-41

Published online

2006-03-27

Page views

1377

Article views/downloads

2169

DOI

10.5603/aa.9880

Bibliographic record

Acta Angiologica 2006;12(1):34-41.

Keywords

vasculitis
autoimmune disease
stroke
corticosteroids

Authors

Angelika Pyszel
Ryszard Andrzejak
Andrzej Szuba

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