Temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: two aspects of one disease. 1979

R D Miller, and E C Ferguson

Temporal (cranial, giant cell) arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica are probably different expressions of the same inflammatory disease. The disease occurs mainly in the elderly and is characterized in the early stage by vague, nonspecific symptoms. Tenderness of the temporal arteries is diagnostic but rarely is present early. Unfortunagely, loss of vision usually occurs before the diagnosis is made. A high index of suspicion and frequent testing of the ESR in elderly patients with vague complaints may lead to earlier diagnosis and appropriate therapy and thus may prevent blindness and even death.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011111 Polymyalgia Rheumatica A syndrome in the elderly characterized by proximal joint and muscle pain, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and a self-limiting course. Pain is usually accompanied by evidence of an inflammatory reaction. Women are affected twice as commonly as men and Caucasians more frequently than other groups. The condition is frequently associated with GIANT CELL ARTERITIS and some theories pose the possibility that the two diseases arise from a single etiology or even that they are the same entity. Forestier-Certonciny Syndrome,Pseudopolyarthritis, Rhizomelic,Rheumatism, Peri-Extra-Articular,Forestier Certonciny Syndrome,Peri-Extra-Articular Rheumatism,Pseudopolyarthritides, Rhizomelic,Rheumatism, Peri Extra Articular,Rhizomelic Pseudopolyarthritides,Rhizomelic Pseudopolyarthritis,Syndrome, Forestier-Certonciny
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
D001799 Blood Sedimentation Measurement of rate of settling of ERYTHROCYTES in blood. Erythrocyte Sedimentation,Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate,Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rates,Rate, Erythrocyte Sedimentation,Rates, Erythrocyte Sedimentation,Sedimentation Rate, Erythrocyte,Sedimentation Rates, Erythrocyte,Sedimentation, Blood,Sedimentation, Erythrocyte
D005260 Female Females
D006261 Headache The symptom of PAIN in the cranial region. It may be an isolated benign occurrence or manifestation of a wide variety of HEADACHE DISORDERS. Cephalgia,Hemicrania,Bilateral Headache,Cephalalgia,Cephalodynia,Cranial Pain,Generalized Headache,Head Pain,Ocular Headache,Orthostatic Headache,Periorbital Headache,Retro-Ocular Headache,Sharp Headache,Throbbing Headache,Unilateral Headache,Vertex Headache,Bilateral Headaches,Cephalalgias,Cephalgias,Cephalodynias,Cranial Pains,Generalized Headaches,Head Pains,Headache, Bilateral,Headache, Generalized,Headache, Ocular,Headache, Orthostatic,Headache, Periorbital,Headache, Retro-Ocular,Headache, Sharp,Headache, Throbbing,Headache, Unilateral,Headache, Vertex,Headaches,Headaches, Bilateral,Headaches, Generalized,Headaches, Ocular,Headaches, Orthostatic,Headaches, Periorbital,Headaches, Retro-Ocular,Headaches, Sharp,Headaches, Throbbing,Headaches, Unilateral,Headaches, Vertex,Ocular Headaches,Orthostatic Headaches,Pain, Cranial,Pain, Head,Pains, Cranial,Pains, Head,Periorbital Headaches,Retro Ocular Headache,Retro-Ocular Headaches,Sharp Headaches,Throbbing Headaches,Unilateral Headaches,Vertex Headaches
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
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
D014794 Visual Fields The total area or space visible in a person's peripheral vision with the eye looking straightforward. Field, Visual,Fields, Visual,Visual Field

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