Most specific symptom of temporal arteritis? – Medicine MCQ

Most specific symptom of temporal arteritis?
A. Visual loss
B. Jaw claudication
C. Temporal headache
D. Polymyalgia rheumatica

Correct answer : B. Jaw claudication

Histopathology of giant cell vasculitis (temporal arteritis) in a cerebral artery.

• Giant cell arteritis ( temporal arteritis ) is a chronic vasculitis of large and medium vessel arteries, usually affecting the cranial branches of arteries arising from aortic arch.
• Jaw claudication is an underreported, yet, a very specific symptom of GCA, with a high positive predictive value.

Ref : Harrison’s Principles of Internal medicine, 19th edition , Page 2188; NEJM, May 5, 2016, 1794-1795.

Image credits: Marvin 101. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cerebral_Giant-Cell_Vasculitis.jpg