The clinical spectrum of giant cell arteritis.

Three patients are described with giant cell arteritis (GCA) of multiple medium sized and large blood vessels including the temporal artery and the aorta. The patients presented with malaise, myalgias and different symptoms due to decreased local blood flow. Progression of the disease could be blocked with immunosuppressive drugs in all 3 patients. With this report we want to emphasize that GCA is associated with a wide ranging disease spectrum in which temporal arteritis and Takayasu's arteritis represent two subsets.