Abstract
Giant cell (temporal) arteritis is a systemic vasculitis of the elderly. Facial swelling is a rare manifestation of the arteritic process. Delay in recognition of the condition can result in profound loss of vision. This report describes a biopsy-proven arteritic patient who developed anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION) following facial swelling. Both arteritic AION and facial swelling responded to high-dose steroid treatment. Facial swelling in giant cell (temporal) arteritis could be an indicator of risk of AION. Intravenous steroid treatment can lead to salvation of useful vision.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Wilkinson IM, Russell RW . Arteries of the head and neck in giant cell arteritis: a pathological study to show the pattern of arterial involvement. Arch Neurol 1972;27:378–91.
Hayreh SS . Ophthalmic features of giant cell arteritis. Baillieres Clin Rheumatol 1991;5:431–59.
Cohen MD, Ginsburg WW, Allen GL . Facial swelling and giant cell arteritis. J Rheumatol 1982;9:325–7.
Manganelli P, Malvezzi L, Saginario A . Trismus and facial swelling in a case of temporal arteritis. Clin Exp Rheumatol 1992;10:102–3.
Friedman G, Friedman B . The sensation of facial swelling in temporal arteritis: a predictor for the development of visual disturbance. Postgrad Med J 1986;62:1019–20.
Fainaru M, Friedman G, Friedman B . Temporal arteritis in Israel: a review of 47 patients. J Rheumatol 1979;6:330–5.
Achkar AA, Lie JT, Gabriel SE, Hunder GG . Giant cell arteritis involving the facial artery. J Rheumatol 1995;22:360–2.
Model DG . Reversal of blindness in temporal arteritis with methylprednisolone. Lancet 1978;2:340.
Rosenfeld SI, Kosmorsky GS, Klingele TG, Burde RM, Cohn EM . Treatment of temporal arteritis with ocular involvement. Am J Med 1986;80:143–5.
Diamond JP . Treatable blindness in temporal arteritis. Br J Ophthalmol 1991;75:432.
Matzkin DC, Slamovits TL, Sachs R, Burde RM . Visual recovery in two patients after intravenous methylprednisolone treatment of central retinal artery occlusion secondary to giant-cell arteritis. Ophthalmology 1992;99:68–71.
Postel EA, Pollock SC . Recovery of vision in a 47-year-old man with fulminant giant cell arteritis. J Clin Neuroophthalmol 1993;13:262–70.
Liu GT, Glaser JS, Schatz NJ, Smith JL . Visual morbidity in giant cell arteritis: clinical characteristics and prognosis for vision. Ophthalmology 1994;101:1779–85.
Astrup J, Siesjo BK, Symon L . Thresholds in cerebral ischaemia: the ischaemic penumbra. Stroke 1981;12:723–5.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ghanchi, F., Weir, C. & Dudgeon, J. Facial swelling in giant cell (temporal) arteritis. Eye 10, 747–749 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1996.174
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.1996.174