Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is a chronic vasculitis of the elderly usually involving the ophthalmic arteries, which can result in visual loss. High platelet counts may have some pathogenic significance in the obstruction of the ophthalmic circulation and a few cases of associated essential thrombocythaemia and GCA have been described. Here we report a case of severe temporal arteritis associated with essential thrombocythaemia.
SalvaraniCCantiniFHunderGG. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant-cell arteritis. Lancet2008; 372:234–45.
2.
LiozonEHerrmannFLyKRobertPYLoustaudVSoriaPVidalE. Risk factors for visual loss in giant cell (temporal) arteritis: a prospective study of 174 patients. Am J Med2001; 111:211–7.
3.
CidMCFontCOristrellJde la SierraAColl-VinentBLópez-SotoAVilasecaJUrbano-MárquezAGrauJM. Association between strong inflammatory response and low risk of developing visual loss and other cranial ischemic complications in giant cell (temporal) arteritis. Arthritis Rheum1998; 41:26–32.
4.
Gonzalez-GayMALopez-DiazMJBarrosSGarcia-PorruaCSanchez-AndradeAPaz-CarreiraJMartinJLlorcaJ. Giant cell arteritis: laboratory tests at the time of diagnosis in a series of 240 patients. Medicine (Baltimore)2005; 84:277–90.
5.
NesherGBerkunYMatesMBarasMNesherRRubinowASonnenblickM. Risk factors for cranial ischemic complications in giant cell arteritis. Medicine (Baltimore)2004; 83:114–22.
6.
SalvaraniCDella BellaCCiminoL. Risk factors for severe cranial ischaemic events in an Italian population-based cohort of patients with giant cell arteritis. Rheumatology (Oxford)2009; 48:250–3.
7.
NesherGBerkunYMatesMBarasMRubinowASonnenblickM. Low-dose aspirin and prevention of cranial ischemic complications in giant cell arteritis. Arthritis Rheum2004; 50:1332–7.
8.
LeeMSSmithSDGalorAHoffmanGS. Antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy in patients with giant cell arteritis. Arthritis Rheum2006; 54:3306–9.
9.
NarváezJBernadBGómez-VaqueroCGarcía-GómezCRoig-VilasecaDJuanolaXRodriguez-MorenoJNollaJMValverdeJ. Impact of antiplatelet therapy in the development of severe ischemic complications and in the outcome of patients with giant cell arteritis. Clin Exp Rheumatol2008; 26(S):57–62.
10.
BergerCTWolbersMMeyerPDaikelerTHessC. High incidence of severe ischaemic complications in patients with giant cell arteritis irrespective of platelet count and size, and platelet inhibition. Rheumatology (Oxford)2009; 48:258–61.
11.
EspinosaGFontJMuñoz-RodriguezFJCerveraRIngelmoM. Myelodysplastic and myeloproliferative syndromes associated with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: a coincidental coexistence or a causal relationship?Clin Rheumatol2002; 21:309–13.
12.
LiozonELoustaud-RattiVSoriaPBezanaharyHFauchaisALNadalonSRhaiemKLyKVidalE. Disease associations in 250 patients with temporal (giant cell) arteritis. Presse Med2004; 33:1304–12.
13.
AielloPDTrautmannJCMcPheeTJKunselmanARHunderGG. Visual prognosis in giant cell arteritis. Ophthalmology1993; 100:550–5.
14.
SalvaraniCCantiniFBoiardiLHunderGG. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant-cell arteritis. N Engl J Med2002; 347:261–71.
15.
Gonzalez-GayMABlancoRRodriguez-ValverdeVMartinez-TaboadaVMDelgado-RodriguezMFigueroaMUriarteE. Permanent visual loss and cerebrovascular accidents in giant cell arteritis: predictors and response to treatment. Arthritis Rheum1998; 41:1497–504.
16.
Danesh-MeyerHSavinoPJGambleGG. Poor prognosis of visual outcome after visual loss from giant cell arteritis. Ophthalmology2005; 112:1098–103.
17.
Gonzalez-GayMAPineiroAGomez-GigireyAGarcia-PorruaCPego-ReigosaRDierssen-SotosTLlorcaJ. Influence of traditional risk factors of atherosclerosis in the development of severe ischemic complications in giant cell arteritis. Medicine (Baltimore)2004; 83:342–7.