Giant cell arteritis

From Libre Pathology
Revision as of 07:52, 17 December 2014 by Michael (talk | contribs) (split out)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Giant cell arteritis (abbreviated GCA), also known as temporal arteritis, is a type of vasculitis.

Giant cell arteritis

Temporal artery redirects here.
  • Abbreviated GCA.
  • AKA temporal arteritis.

General

  • Classically afflicts the temporal artery.

Clinical features:

  • Classic finding: jaw claudication, in a patient older than 50 years.
  • Other findings: headache, vision loss or diplopia, scalp tenderness, polymyalgia, weight loss, chills, fever.

Work-up:

  • CRP, ESR, temporal artery biopsy.
    • ESR normal (>50 years old): <20 mm/hr males, <30 mm/hr females.[1]

Treatment:

  • Treat right away with high dose steroids.
    • Biopsy is confirmatory.

Microscopic

Features:

  • Artery with intramural inflammatory cells.
  • Destruction of arterial wall, e.g. fibrinoid necrosis (pink anucleate arterial wall).

Image(s):

Sign out

Negative

TEMPORAL ARTERY, LEFT, BIOPSY:
- MEDIUM SIZE ARTERY WITHOUT PATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS, SEE COMMENT.

COMMENT:
A negative biopsy does not rule out the possibility of giant cell (temporal) 
arteritis, as this may be a focal disorder. The clinical management is 
dependent upon the clinical impression.

See also

References