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This is a case series of seven patients who presented with stroke or multi-infarct dementia related to giant cell arteritis (GCA); they were identified from among 167 patients with biopsy-proven GCA (11 with stroke at any point) seen at one center between 1995 and 2007.
The seven patients had varying degrees of cognitive impairment, visual impairment or loss, and other symptoms. Diagnosis was aided by histopathologic confirmation of GCA and radiologic demonstration of both infarction and angiographic abnormalities. The authors conclude that GCA should be considered in patients with cerebral ischemia; elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (seen in all 7 patients); and symptoms associated with GCA, such as headache and visual loss.