[Giant cell arteritis and the CNS. Summary of special considerations in two separate cases]

This is a report on two fatal cases of giant-cell arteritis (GCA) with isolated involvement of intracranial arteries. The peculiarities as observed by the author in two 42-year-old male patients from his own material, are the relatively young age of these patients, the duration of illness amounting to six weeks and 14 months respectively, which is unusually short for vascular processes; and substantial cerebral circulation disturbances caused by inadequate oxygen supply. The symptomatology, the special clinical and neurological findings, the distribution patterns of the extra- and intracranial vascular involvement, including the dysfunctions as caused therby, as well as pathogenesis, aetiology, and considerations concerning the differential diagnosis are reported and compared with those to be found in the literature.