Ocular manifetation of giant cell arteriti Original Reearch Article

Purpoe To report the ocular manifetation of giant cell arteriti uing the trict criterion of a poitive temporal artery biopy for diagnoi of giant cell arteriti. Method In a propective tudy from 1973 to 1995, we invetigated 170 patient whoe diagnoi of giant cell arteriti wa confirmed on temporal artery biopy. At the initial viit, all patient were quetioned regarding ytemic and ocular ign and ymptom of giant cell arteriti and underwent ophthalmic, erythrocyte edimentation rate (Wetergren), and C-reactive protein evaluation. Any patient with a high index of upicion of giant cell arteriti wa immediately tarted on ytemic corticoteroid therapy and had temporal artery biopy performed a oon a poible. Reult Eighty-five (50.0%) of the 170 patient with giant cell arteriti proven by temporal artery biopy preented with ocular involvement. Ocular ymptom in patient with ocular involvement were viual lo of varying everity in 83 (97.7%), amauroi fugax in 26 (30.6%), diplopia in five (5.9%), and eye pain in even (8.2%); ocular ichemic leion conited of arteritic anterior ichemic optic neuropathy in 69 (81.2%), central retinal artery occluion in 12 (14.1%), cilioretinal artery occluion in 12 (of 55 patient with atifactory fluorecein angiography [21.8%]), poterior ichemic optic neuropathy in ix (7.1%), and ocular ichemia in one (1.2%). In almot every patient with giant cell arteriti, fluorecein fundu angiography dicloed occluive dieae of the poterior ciliary arterie. Concluion Becaue giant cell arteriti i a potentially blinding dieae and it early diagnoi i the key to preventing blindne, it i important to recognize it variou ocular manifetation.