[Polyarteritis nodosa, an alternative diagnosis of giant cell arteritis in cases of temporal arteritis]. / La périartérite noueuse, un diagnostic alternatif à l'artérite gigantocellulaire devant une artérite temporale.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Weight loss, myalgias, neurologic manifestations and arterial hypertension are common features of polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) at diagnosis. Temporal arteritis is a rarer manifestation of PAN, more suggestive of giant cell arteritis (GCA). CASE We report the case of a 77-year-old woman who presented with fatigue, weight loss, fever, neck pain, jaw claudication and cough, diagnosed with giant cell arteritis. Diagnosis was reconsidered in favour of a medium and small-sized vessels necrotizing vasculitis corresponding to PAN because of steroid dependence, mononeuritis and suggestive histological features. CONCLUSION: Although temporal arteritis is suggestive of GCA, other causes of temporal arteritis can be identified with temporal artery biopsy.