Temporal Arteritis in Etiology of Fever of Unknown Origin

Abstract

Fever of unknown origin, defined as a temperature greater than 38.3°C on several occasions for three weeks and a failure to reach a diagnosis despite a week of in patient investigations. In the etiology of fever of unknown origin, infections are the most common cause. In this article the case of a temporal arteritis presented which is a less common cause of fever of unknown in many series. Visual loss is the most common and the major ischemic complications of the temporal arteritis. Although the blindness is complaint of application in many cases, in the presented case there was no abnormal finding in the ophtalmological examination. The symptoms of patient revealed with corticosteroid therapy. Temporal arteritis should be considered particularly in older patients with fever of unknown origin