Cranial Arteritis in Otolaryngology

Cranial arteritis has the common presenting manifestations of headache and visual loss and is generally limited to elderly individuals. Nearly 50% of patients with the musculoskeletal disorder of polymyalgia rheumatica have an associated cranial arteritis, but the exact pathophysiologic relationship remains unclear. Although the literature suggests that otolaryngologic manifestations of cranial arteritis are infrequent, this report supports a contradictory viewpoint. Approximately 25% of patients present with masticatory claudication, tongue pain, or frank lingual infarction. These oral manifestations should be recognized as indicators of a serious underlying arteritis.