Definition

 - large vessel vasculitis with predilection for extracranial carotid artery branches.

 Epidemiology

 - Disease of older adults aged 70– 80.

 -Women affected 2– 3 times more frequently than men.

 Aetiology

 • Unknown.

 Presentation

 - Headache, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication.

-Partial or complete visual loss.

 -Polymyalgia rheumatica present in one- third of cases.

 Histopathology

 - Diagnosis is usually made on temporal artery biopsy.

 -Inflammatory infiltrate present in all layers of the artery with  lymphocytes and macrophages predominating.

- Giant cells may be seen but are not necessary to make the diagnosis.

 Prognosis

-Condition is responsive to steroids.

 -Visual loss is the most important complication to prevent