Reduction in jaw opening: a neglected symptom of giant cell arteritis

Markus Kraemer; Alexander Metz; Michèle Herold; Conrad Venker; Peter Berlit

doi:10.1007/s00296-010-1690-0

Reduction in jaw opening: a neglected symptom of giant cell arteritis

Rheumatol Int. 2011 Nov;31(11):1521-3. doi: 10.1007/s00296-010-1690-0. Epub 2010 Dec 16.

Authors

Markus Kraemer¹, Alexander Metz, Michèle Herold, Conrad Venker, Peter Berlit

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurology, Alfried-Krupp-von Bohlen und Halbach Hospital, Alfried-Krupp-Strasse 21, 45117 Essen, Germany. markus.kraemer@krupp-krankenhaus.de

PMID: 21161530
DOI: 10.1007/s00296-010-1690-0

Abstract

Reduction in jaw opening is a neglected symptom of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in clinical practice and in the scientific literature. We describe the case of a 71-year-old woman with GCA who was misdiagnosed as occipital neuritis and craniomandibular dysfunction because of headaches in the occipital region and reduction in jaw opening. The reported case reminds us not to overlook reduction in jaw opening as a symptom to reveal GCA in elderly patients.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Aged
Craniomandibular Disorders / diagnosis
Diagnostic Errors*
Female
Giant Cell Arteritis / complications
Giant Cell Arteritis / diagnosis*
Giant Cell Arteritis / drug therapy
Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
Headache / diagnosis*
Headache / drug therapy
Headache / etiology
Humans
Jaw / physiopathology*
Neuritis / diagnosis
Occipital Lobe / pathology
Prednisolone / therapeutic use
Temporal Arteries / diagnostic imaging
Temporal Arteries / pathology
Treatment Outcome
Trismus / diagnosis*
Trismus / drug therapy
Trismus / etiology
Ultrasonography

Substances

Glucocorticoids
Prednisolone