Correspondence
Giant cell arteritis relapse presenting as idiopathic orbital inflammation
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic vasculitis that can cause permanent vision loss. Even after treatment, relapses have been reported in 40%–64% of patients, depending on how relapses are defined.1,2 Here, we present a rare case of a GCA relapse mimicking idiopathic orbital inflammation (IOI) on the side contralateral to the initial episode of the disease. Simultaneous, positive biopsies of the orbit and temporal arteries were obtained, offering histological evidence that the orbital inflammation and GCA flare were linked.Elevated lipoprotein(a) levels as the cause of cryptogenic stroke in a young Ashkenazi Jewish female
Lipoprotein(a) is a cholesterol carrier molecule, structurally similar to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), but with distinct properties predisposing it to associations with increased risk of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and aortic stenosis.1–4 However, lipoprotein(a) levels are not routinely checked, although there is a known pattern of genetic inheritance.5 We present a case of a young patient with purported cryptogenic stroke and a family history of cardiovascular disease, which was attributed to elevated lipoprotein(a) levels.
