Temporal (giant cell) arteritis may present with a range of clinical and laboratory findings, many of which are nonspecific.
Age: typically >= 50 years
Abnormalities in the temporal arteries:
(1) prominent artery
(2) beading along the artery
(3) tenderness to palpation
(4) decreased or absent pulse
(5) skin erythema over the distribution of the artery
Ocular abnormalities:
(1) visual loss
(2) ischemic optic neuropathy
(3) signs of retinal ischemia (cotton wool exudates, other)
(4) diplopia
Cerebrovascular abnormalities
(1) transient ischemic attack (TIA)
(2) stroke
Findings in the head and neck:
(1) headache (especially if of new onset)
(2) scalp necrosis
(3) tongue necrosis
(4) jaw claudication
(5) cranial neuropathy
(6) new onset of pain in the teeth, sinuses or neck
Systemic findings:
(1) polymyalgia rheumatica (pain and morning stiffness in neck, shoulders and/or pelvic region)
(2) fever
(3) anorexia with weight loss
(4) fatigue
(5) sweats
(6) malaise
Laboratory findings
(1) elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
(2) anemia of chronic disease
(3) leukocytosis
(4) thrombocytosis
(5) elevated C-reactive protein (CRP)
(6) elevation in other acute phase reactants
(7) abnormal liver function tests
Other findings:
(1) aortitis with aortic aneurysm
(2) arteritis involving other arteries, with claudication and reduced pulses in the upper and/or lower extremities
(3) peripheral neuropathy, with paresthesias
(4) arteritis in surgical specimens (gallbladder, other)
(5) Raynaud's phenomenon
Purpose: To evaluate a patient for clinical and laboratory findings associated with temporal (giant cell) arteritis.
Specialty: Immunology/Rheumatology
Objective: criteria for diagnosis, differential diagnosis and mimics, red flags
ICD-10: M31.5, M3.6,