A Case of Atypical Giant Cell Arteritis Presenting as Raynaud's Phenomenon and Diagnosed by Random Temporal Artery Biopsy / 대한류마티스학회지

ABSTRACT

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a chronic vasculitis that mainly involves the cranial branches of arteries, and typically it presents with a cephalic sign such as a new headache, jaw claudication and/or visual symptoms. Although the tender, swollen or beaded arteries are adequate sites for biopsy, random temporal artery biopsy should be performed in all the patients suspected of suffering with GCA and even if cephalic signs are not present. Several cases of typical GCA have been reported in Korea, but so far there have been no reports of an atypical case presenting with Raynaud's phenomenon, and the patient was diagnosed by random temporal artery biopsy. Here we describe a case that showed the typical pathological findings of GCA in an asymptomatic temporal artery. The patient complained of only Raynaud's phnomenon and the patient was without any cephalic symptoms.