[Temporal arteritis: do not rely on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate].

Three patients with signs of temporal arteritis are presented. In two patients a normal ESR resulted in the diagnosis 'temporal arteritis' being discarded, prompting clinicians to consider meningitis, sinusitis, and blindness due to atherosclerosis. In the third case, the ESR measured with the Alifax Test-1TH apparatus was 17 mm/h, whereas the Westergren method used on the same sample resulted in an ESR of 83 mm/h. In all three cases CRP was elevated. On the basis of literature on the sensitivity of ESR and CRP it is advisable to use both measures when temporal arteritis is being considered. It is noted that in one hospital using the Alifax Test-1TH, only 52% of 25 patients with biopsy-proven temporal arteritis had an ESR over 40 mm/h, while 96% had elevated CRP. This observation requires further evaluation. The significance of signs, symptoms and new imaging techniques for recognising cranial giant cell arteritis is summarised.