Temporal arteritis.

Abstract

Temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis) is a systemic vasculitis which characteristically affects the older age group. It is of specific concern to the clinician in that a significant portion of those patients with the disease may develop, in the course of their illness, irreversible blindness in one or both eyes. The disease is usually preceded by clinically definable ocular and systemic symptoms which may allow an early diagnosis and with the appropriate treatment the abortion of certain of the adverse sequels.