[Pericardial effusion and aortitis: unusual main manifestations of giant cell arteritis]

Abstract

Giant cell arteritis is a systemic vasculitis with segmentary vascular localisation, usually manifesting as temporal arteritis (Horton's disease). The predominant localisation in different vascular districts leads to clinical heterogeneity and poses a considerable diagnostic challenge. We describe a 77-year old woman with atypical presentation of giant cell arteritis, suffering from fever, weight loss and fatigue, but without classical symptoms such as polymyalgias, arthralgias and headache. The findings of pericardial effusion and thickening of aortic wall in chest-CT suggested the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis, fully confirmed by the following biopsy and histologic examination of a macroscopically and palpatory normal arteria temporalis. Undergoing an appropriate corticosteroid-medication the patient has been free of symptoms since 8 months.