[Giant cell aortitis complicated by AA amyloidosis diagnosed with imaging techniques: Report of a case]

Abstract

Introduction: AA amyloidosis is a common but severe complication of many chronic inflammatory processes of infectious, autoimmune, or neoplastic origin. It frequently leads to renal damage, often presenting as a nephrotic syndrome. Giant cell arteritis is a common inflammatory arteritis in elderly people, but rarely complicated by AA amyloidosis.

Case report: We report an 87-year-old female who presented with a nephrotic syndrome and a chronic inflammation, in whom the kidney biopsy showed secondary amyloidosis. Etiological investigations concluded an amyloidosis related to giant cell pan-aortitis, whereas there were no typical clinical signs for this diagnosis. Outcome was rapidly unfavourable despite the treatment.

Conclusion: In case of chronic inflammation of unknown origin in elderly patients, aortitis complicating a giant cell arteritis should be looked for with imaging techniques, as clinical diagnosis of this presentation is difficult, whereas delayed diagnosis exposes to severe or fatal issues.

Keywords: Amyloidosis; Amylose AA; Aortite; Aortitis; Artérite à cellules géantes; Giant cell arteritis; Maladie de Horton; Temporal arteritis.