[Temporal arteritis, clinical picture, treatment and prognosis (author's transl)]

32 patients are described, who 1971-1974 were hospitalized because of temporal arteritis. The admissions diagnoses were: 5 temporal arteritis. 7 Neuroretinitis. 4 Blood vessel obstruction. 2 Cerebral tumor. 14 Vision disturbances up to sudden blindness of unknown cause. In the early stages when intermittent visual disturbances with vague headaches of older patients (average age 68 years) are present, a temporal arteritis is often not recognised. In the region of the papilla the retinal arteries show obvious luminal narrowing. The papilla is already early on somewhat blurred and oedematous. The complaints continue bilaterally with intervals from days to months. Hence the treatment: bilateral resection of the temporal artery. Histologically: from our 32 patients 27 showed the classical picture of "giant-cell arteritis" with chronic inflammatory reaction of all layers of the wall and partial to complete obstruction of the vessel lumen. Local therapy: parabulbar application of cortisone. General therapy: Daily rheomacrodes infusions, Soludecortin, 100 mg per day (with latter "tailing off") and strophantin when the patient is not already digitalised.