Giant cell arteritis is reportedly associated with thoracic aortic aneurysm and acute aortic dissection. We encountered a patient with giant cell arteritis who suffered acute aortic dissection three times within a short period. A pathological specimen of the ascending aorta taken at surgery for type A acute aortic dissection revealed the typical features of giant cell arteritis. Giant cell arteritis patients might be at greater risk of acute aortic dissection than healthy individuals.
BengtssonBAMalmvallBE.The epidemiology of giant cell arteritis including temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. Incidences of different clinical presentations and eye complications.Arthritis Rheum1981;
24: 899–904.
2.
NuenninghoffDMHunderGGChristiansonTJMcClellandRLMattesonEL.Incidence and predictors of large-artery complication (aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection, and/or large-artery stenosis) in patients with giant cell arteritis: a population-based study over 50 years. Arthritis Rheum2003;
48: 3522–3531.
3.
MontiSÁguedaAFPonteC, et al.
Systematic literature review informing the 2018 update of the EULAR recommendation for the management of large vessel vasculitis: focus on giant cell arteritis.RMD Open2019;
16; 5: e001003.
4.
RobertsWCVowelsTJKitchensBLKoJMFilardoGKitchensBL.Aortic medial elastic fiber loss in acute ascending aortic dissection.Am J Cardiol2011;
108: 1639–1644.
5.
NakashimaYShiokawaYSueishiK, et al.
Alterations of elastic architecture in human aortic dissecting aneurysm.Lab Invest1990;
62: 751–760.
6.
NgMKCelermajerDS.Glucocorticoid treatment and cardiovascular disease.Heart2004;
90: 829–830.
7.
YuHYChenYSHuangSCWangSSLinFY.Late outcome of patients with aortic dissection: study of a national database. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg2004;
25: 683–690.
8.
StoneJHTuckwellKDimonacoS, et al.
Trial of tocilizumab in giant-cell arteritis. N Engl J Med2017;
377: 317–328.
