Giant cell arteritis

[Gregory]

Giant cell arteritis is chronic inflammation of large and medium arteries of the head, neck, and upper body. Typically affected are the temporal arteries, which run through the temples and provide blood to part of the scalp, the jaw muscles, and the optic nerves.

The cause is unknown.
Typically, people have a severe and often throbbing headache, pain in the scalp when they brush their hair, and pain in facial muscles when they chew.
Without treatment, blindness can result.
Symptoms and results of a physical examination suggest the diagnosis, but biopsy of the temporal artery is done to confirm it.
Prednisone (a corticosteroid), tocilizumab , and aspirin are usually effective treatments.

(See also Overview of Vasculitis.)
Giant cell arteritis is a relatively common form of vasculitis in the United States and Europe. Women are affected more often than men. Giant cell arteritis typically affects people over age 55, often at about age 70. About 40 to 60% of people with giant cell arteritis also have symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica. The cause of these disorders is unknown.