Correspondence
Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia-related vasculitis mimicking giant cell arteritis
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a medium-to-large vessel vasculitis, commonly seen in the elderly, that can produce visual loss.1 Although the diagnosis of GCA is typically made via a temporal artery biopsy (TAB), other vasculitides have been diagnosed by TAB in patients with symptoms and signs initially suggestive of GCA. Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a myeloid neoplasm characterized by persistent monocytosis, macrocytic or normocytic anemia, and thrombocytopenia.2 We report an unusual case of CMML-associated vasculitis mimicking GCA.Vestibulocochlear symptoms as the initial presentation of giant cell arteritis
Giant cell arteritis (GCA)—also known as temporal arteritis—is a systemic vasculitis that involves medium and large-caliber arteries such as the cranial arteries, great vessels, and aorta. Although the typical nonocular features of GCA are well known (e.g., new-onset headache, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication), vestibulocochlear presentations are rare and can mimic acute idiopathic sensorineural hearing loss (AISHL).1 Although steroids are given for both AISHL and GCA, the lower dose and shorter duration of steroid treatment in AISHL can obscure and delay the diagnosis of GCA.
