Clinical triad associated with temporal arteritis
What is the clinical triad associated with temporal arteritis?
Headache, jaw claudication, and constitutional symptoms compose the triad of clinical symptoms often found in temporal arteritis.
The headache is typically boring, throbbing, or lancinating, radiating from one or both temples to the neck, jaw, tongue, or back of the head.
Fever, malaise, night sweats, and anorexia with weight loss usually present early in the disease. Patients are usually older than 50 years of age, and 50% will have concomitant polymyalgia rheumatica.
Mononeuritis multiplex may occur in 10% of afflicted patients.
Untreated, one-third of patients will develop amaurosis fugax, monocular or binocular blindness, diplopia, or ophthalmoplegia.
Cerebral infarctions or TIAs are common complications late in the disease.
