Giant cell arteritis presenting with uveitis

Stephanie N Slemp1, Sarah E Martin, Richard A Burgett

  • 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and.

Insights

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), a common vasculitis, affects older adults and can cause severe complications like blindness. This case highlights GCA presenting with uveitis, delaying diagnosis and treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Rheumatology
  • Ophthalmology

Background:

  • Giant cell arteritis (GCA), or temporal arteritis, is the most frequent primary vasculitis impacting the nervous system.
  • It primarily affects individuals over 50, targeting large and medium-sized arteries, particularly the carotid arteries and their branches.
  • Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent severe complications such as end-organ ischemia and blindness.

Observation:

  • This report details a rare case of GCA in a patient whose initial presentation was uveitis.
  • The ocular manifestation of uveitis masked the typical symptoms of GCA.
  • This atypical presentation led to a delayed diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.

Findings:

  • The patient's uveitis initially obscured the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.
  • Delayed diagnosis in GCA can lead to irreversible ischemic complications.
  • Early recognition of GCA, even with atypical symptoms, is vital for effective management.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the importance of considering GCA in older patients presenting with uveitis.
  • Ophthalmologists and neurologists should be aware of GCA as a potential cause of uveitis.
  • Timely diagnosis and treatment of GCA are essential to prevent vision loss and other devastating outcomes.

Related Concept Videos

Glaucoma: Overview01:25

Glaucoma: Overview

Glaucoma is an eye condition characterized by increased intraocular pressure that damages the retina and optic nerve, leading to irreversible blindness if left untreated. The human eye has various components, including the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, and optic nerve. Aqueous humor is secreted by the epithelium of the ciliary body in the posterior chamber and flows through the trabecular meshwork and canal of Schlemm, maintaining normal intraocular pressure. The trabecular meshwork and the canal...
1.7K
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment01:27

Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment

In open-angle glaucoma, the iridocorneal angle remains open, but the trabecular meshwork becomes stiff, slowing down the outflow of aqueous humor. This causes a buildup of aqueous humor in the anterior chamber, leading to a sudden increase in intraocular pressure. The treatment for open-angle glaucoma focuses on reducing the elevated intraocular pressure by either decreasing the secretion of aqueous humor or increasing its outflow.
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...
1.1K
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment01:28

Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment

Angle-closure glaucoma, or closed-angle glaucoma, is an eye condition where the iris bulges out and blocks the iridocorneal angle, resulting in a buildup of aqueous humor and increased intraocular pressure. Immediate medical attention is necessary due to the sudden onset of symptoms. The treatment for angle-closure glaucoma includes short-term and long-term approaches. Short-term treatment involves using eye drops like pilocarpine to lower intraocular pressure by increasing aqueous humor...
1.7K
Encephalitis l: Introduction01:19

Encephalitis l: Introduction

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
29
Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS01:11

Genome-wide Association Studies-GWAS

Genome-wide association studies or GWAS are used to identify whether common SNPs are associated with certain diseases. Suppose specific SNPs are more frequently observed in individuals with a particular disease than those without the disease. In that case, those SNPs are said to be associated with the disease. Chi-square analysis is performed to check the probability of the allele likely to be associated with the disease.
GWAS does not require the identification of the target gene involved in...
12.9K
Arboviral Encephalitis01:25

Arboviral Encephalitis

Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
70