Masked presentation of giant-cell arteritis

ABSTRACT

The charts of 48 patients with biopsy-proved giant-cell arteritis evaluated at the Cleveland Clinic from 1975 through 1980 were analyzed to determine the frequency of masked presentation, correlating two sets of criteria together with the initial diagnosis. One or more classical criteria were lacking in nine cases (18%) and 25 (52%) were initially misdiagnosed. However, if published criteria for polymyalgia rheumatica were applied, that diagnosis should have been considered at presentation in all cases.