Giant cell arteritis. Clinical features and involvement of different organs

Sixty-eight patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) are described. In 42, histological evidence of arteritis was recorded at biopsy of a temporal artery. Twenty-six patients were included according to clinical criteria. In 20 patients the onset of illness was associated with an infection. The first symptom was: in 30 patients, muscle pains; in 14, fever; in 11, headache with temporal localization, and in 13 patients, tiredness and anorexia. In all, 50 patients had muscular symptoms and 30 had symptoms of localized temporal arteritis. In 5 patients neither muscular symptoms nor localized arteritis were found. A high erythrocyte sedimentation rate was seen in all cases and elevated platelet count was found in 24 patients. Abnormal liver function was a common finding, whereas impaired renal function was not observed. In 8 cases reversible eye symptoms were noted and reduced hearing capacity was demonstrated in 5 patients.