Biomaterial Database

Temporal arteritis. A preventable cause of blindness. 1990

J W Lance

University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Temporal arteritis is an uncommon condition but must be recognised early if complications such as blindness are to be avoided. The onset of daily headache or systemic disturbance with muscle and joint pains in patients over the age of 50 years should arouse suspicion. The ESR is usually greater than 40 mm an hour, but it is advisable to proceed to temporal artery biopsy if the story is typical even though initially the ESR may be normal. Histological confirmation is desirable because steroid therapy may have to continue for several years.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D001766	Blindness	The inability to see or the loss or absence of perception of visual stimuli. This condition may be the result of EYE DISEASES; OPTIC NERVE DISEASES; OPTIC CHIASM diseases; or BRAIN DISEASES affecting the VISUAL PATHWAYS or OCCIPITAL LOBE.	Amaurosis,Bilateral Blindness,Blindness, Bilateral,Blindness, Legal,Blindness, Monocular,Blindness, Unilateral,Sudden Visual Loss,Unilateral Blindness,Blindness, Acquired,Blindness, Complete,Blindness, Hysterical,Blindness, Transient,Acquired Blindness,Amauroses,Bilateral Blindnesses,Complete Blindness,Hysterical Blindness,Legal Blindness,Monocular Blindness,Sudden Visual Losses,Transient Blindness,Visual Loss, Sudden
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D013700	Giant Cell Arteritis	A systemic autoimmune disorder that typically affects medium and large ARTERIES, usually leading to occlusive granulomatous vasculitis with transmural infiltrate containing multinucleated GIANT CELLS. The TEMPORAL ARTERY is commonly involved. This disorder appears primarily in people over the age of 50. Symptoms include FEVER; FATIGUE; HEADACHE; visual impairment; pain in the jaw and tongue; and aggravation of pain by cold temperatures. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed)	Aortic Arteritis, Giant Cell,Aortitis, Giant Cell,Arteritis, Temporal,Cranial Arteritis,Horton Disease,Horton Giant Cell Arteritis,Juvenile Temporal Arteritis,Temporal Arteritis,Arteritis, Giant Cell, Horton,Arteritis, Giant Cell, Horton's,Giant Cell Aortic Arteritis,Giant Cell Aortitis,Giant Cell Aortitis, Horton's,Giant Cell Arteritis, Horton,Horton's Disease,Horton's Giant Cell Arteritis,Aortitides, Giant Cell,Arteritides, Cranial,Arteritides, Giant Cell,Arteritides, Juvenile Temporal,Arteritides, Temporal,Arteritis, Cranial,Arteritis, Giant Cell,Arteritis, Juvenile Temporal,Cranial Arteritides,Giant Cell Aortitides,Giant Cell Arteritides,Hortons Disease,Juvenile Temporal Arteritides,Temporal Arteritides,Temporal Arteritides, Juvenile,Temporal Arteritis, Juvenile