Definition

Temporal arteritis is a disease that causes inflammation and sometimes blockage of medium and large arteries in the head (often near the side of the head or temples).

Description

The mechanism responsible for temporal arteritis (also called giant cell arteritis) is complex and can affect medium and large size arteries, but commonly strikes the temporal artery causing temporal located headaches. In affected arteries there is an abnormal reaction that causes the infiltration of immune cells, such as lymphocytes, multinucleated giant cells, and plasma cells. Frequently the arteries in the head and neck are involved, but vasopathy can extend to the carotids and aorta. The abnormal mechanism is a cell-mediated immune response that is abnormally directed on an antigen (a foreign protein) near the elastic tissue component of an arterial wall. This immune response causes an infiltration of immune cells in an...