Familial association of giant cell arteritis. A case report and brief review

The initial report of a father-daughter pair with giant cell arteritis (GCA) is made. To our knowledge, it represents only the 12th known familial aggregation of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and/or GCA. This provides evidence for direct transmission of GCA during the two generations and helps to establish a genetic mode of inheritance for this disease. Clinically, the familial and nonfamilial forms of PMR and/or GCA are indistinguishable.