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Giant cell arteritis as a cause of first-ever stroke

Malgorzata Wiszniewska1, Gerald Devuyst, Julien Bogousslavsky

  • 1Department of Neurology CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland. mpwisz@pi.onet.pl

Cerebrovascular Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 17, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) rarely causes stroke, affecting 0.15% of patients. Early treatment with antiplatelet drugs and corticosteroids may prevent this dangerous complication.

Area of Science:

  • Rheumatology
  • Neurology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic vasculitis.
  • Stroke is a potential neurological complication of GCA.

Observation:

  • This study investigated the frequency and characteristics of stroke in GCA patients.
  • Six patients (0.15%) in the Lausanne Stroke Registry had GCA and stroke.
  • Stroke occurred within 0-2 months of GCA diagnosis, often accompanied by headache.

Findings:

  • Cerebral ischemia patterns included lacunar and territorial infarcts.
  • Histologically proven temporal arteritis was confirmed in all affected patients.
  • Risk factors, patterns, latency, and therapy were analyzed in GCA-stroke patients.

Implications:

  • Stroke is a rare but serious complication of GCA.
  • Combined antiplatelet and corticosteroid therapy may be beneficial for stroke prevention in GCA.
  • Increased awareness and prompt management are crucial for GCA patients at risk of stroke.

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