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Addison's disease, malignant lymphoma and death from cerebral giant cell arteritis
Author(s) -
LANDIN K.,
BENGTSSON B.Å.,
WILHELMSEN L.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1989.tb01381.x
Subject(s) - medicine , giant cell arteritis , arteritis , lymphoma , autopsy , biopsy , erythrocyte sedimentation rate , surgery , pathology , disease , vasculitis
Landin K, Bengtsson B‐Å, Wilhelmsen L (Department of Medicine II. Sahlgrenska Hospital and Department of Medicine, Östra Hospital, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden). Addison's disease, malignant lymphoma and death from cerebral giant cell arteritis. A 61‐year‐old woman with Addison's disease and malignant lymphoma for several years was admitted to hospital with a 2‐month history of fatigue and a 7 kg weight loss. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 92 mm h −1 and a temporal biopsy was performed as a part of the clinical investigation. She suddenly suffered a paresis of the right arm, sudden blindness and her blood pressure fell to 100/60 mmHg. Hydrocortisone was given intravenously followed by betamethasone, and an Addison crisis as well as a giant cell arteritis (GCA) was suspected. Activity in the malignant lymphoma was also a possibility. The patient did not improve and died 8 d later. The temporal biopsy indicated GCA. The autopsy showed a pronounced intimal inflammatory reaction of the intracerebral arteries and an infarction in the left posterior hemisphere. A possible link between GCA and other autoimmune diseases is discussed.