Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica in a Conjugal Pair

Despite the description of 12 pairs of first degree relatives with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica, including affected siblings, the occurrence of these two entities in a conjugal pair has not been described. Previous reports of familial aggregation in giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica have emphasized a genetic predisposition. A recent extensive review of giant cell arteritis by Healey and Wilske states: “The strongest factor against an environmental or contagious etiology is that the two syndromes have not been reported to occur in conjugal pairs ( I ) . ” In this brief report, we describe polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis in a husband and wife and discuss possible modes of horizontal transmission. Patients. In September 1973, a 74-year-old housewife was seen at the Internal Medicine Clinic at the University of Michigan Hospital with a 6-month history of proximal muscle weakness, bitemporal scalp pain, and daily fevers to 101°F. Because of her weakness in climbing stairs, a ramp had to be constructed to enable her to ascend the five steps to her home. Several months before evaluation in our clinic, she had experienced a dramatic symptomatic response