Clinical Pearls and Myths in Vasculitis

Giant Cell Arteritis: PearlThe primary branches of the thoracic aorta (carotid,vertebral, and subclavian arteries) are involved clinically inabout 15% of cases.Because patients with early involvement of these arteriesmay have neither local symptoms (e.g., arm claudication)nor stroke, the diagnosis may be suggested first bydiscrepancies detected between the blood pressures in theright and left arms or by auscultation over the brachial,subclavian, and axillary arteries.Brack A, Martinez-TaboadaVM, Rodriguez-ValverdeV, et al: Disease pattern in cranial and large-vesselgiant cell arteritis. Arthritis Rheum 42311-317,1999