Temporal arteritis syndrome (cranial arteritis syndrome; giant cell arteritis; hutchinson-horton-magath-brown syndrome)

General: Etiology unknown; mainly females; mainly whites; ages 55 to 80 years; temporal artery shows inflammatory thickening; arteritis of the vessels supplying the optic nerve.

Ocular: Transient ptosis; partial or complete loss of vision on the affected side; retinal detachment; exudates and hemorrhages; narrowing of retinal vessels; obstruction of the central retinal artery; optic atrophy; ischemic optic neuropathy; acute decreased intraocular pressure; corneal hypesthesia; palsies of extraocular muscles; hemorrhagic glaucoma; diplopia; hemorrhages on or around the disk.

Clinical: Throbbing headache; hyperalgesia of the scalp; malaise; anorexia; weakness; weight loss; fever; nodular pulmonary nodules; cough; otitis with deafness.

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Zenone T, et al. Unusual manifestations of giant cell arteritis: pulmonary nodules, cough, conjunctivitis and otitis with deafness. Eur Respir J 1994; 7:2252-2254.