Brain vascular disease presenting as first manifestation of temporal arteritis: Report of two cases [Doença encéfalo-vascular como primeira manifestação de arterite temporal relato de dois casos]

Abstract

Brain vascular disease as the first presentation of temporal arteritis is unusual. We present two cases in which the diagnosis emerged from the anamnesis. A 54 years old woman has had a left cerebral infarct 3 months ago. She was getting better when severe visual loss occurred and the family decided to get a second opinion. The patient have had right hemiparesis, aphasia and a left visual disturbance in the first episode; now she had severe bilateral visual disturbance. We suspected temporal arteritis was the etiology. HSR was 97 mm and fundoscopy disclosed severe ischemic optic neuritis. A 75 years old man presented Wallemberg syndrome. The history disclosed temporal headache and the examination showed inflammation in temporal artery. HSR was 70 mm and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. "Tecnolatry" is affecting medical practice; it's necessary to put back in the center the clinical sovereignty.