A Case of Giant Cell Arteritis Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis Monitored by Magnetic Resonance Angiography

We report a patient who developed giant cell (temporal) arteritis during treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The patient was a 57-year-old Japanese woman and had been well controlled with anti-rheumatic drugs, when she presented to our hospital with severe bitemporal headaches and marked fatigue. An exclusive diagnosis was rapidly made and she was diagnosed as having giant cell arteritis based on the classification criteria by American College of Reumatology. Additionally, magnetic resonance (MR) angiography was performed, from which stenotic change in the bilateral superficial temporal arteries was strongly suspected and then corticosteroid therapy was quickly started. The patient followed an uneventful course without developing any complications such as visual dysfunctions. Therapeutic effect was confirmed by MR-angiographic findings obtained 4 weeks after the initiation of therapy.

慢性関節リウマチ治療経過中に巨細胞動脈炎(側頭動脈炎)を合併した1例を報告した｡症例は抗リウマチ剤投与で良好にコントロールされていた慢性関節リウマチの57歳の女性で,強い両側頭部痛と全身倦怠感を主訴に来院した｡アメリカリウマチ学会(ACR)の分類基準に基づき巨細胞動脈炎と診断し,MR-アンギオグラフィーで両側浅側頭動脈の狭窄性変化を強く疑い,発症 早期よりステロイド投与を開始した｡眼合併症等を来すことなく良好な経過をとり,治療開始4週間後のMR-アンギオグラフィー再検でその治療効果を確認し得た｡MR-アンギオグラフィーで巨細胞動脈炎病変部を観察しえた報告は極めて少なく,文献的考察を加え報告する｡