From the Guidelines
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) primarily attacks the branches of the carotid artery, including the temporal artery, ophthalmic artery, posterior ciliary artery, vertebral artery, and occasionally the aorta and its major branches. The most commonly affected vessels are those with elastic tissue in their walls, particularly the extracranial branches of the carotid artery 1. This selective targeting occurs because GCA is an immune-mediated disease where T-cells and macrophages attack the elastic lamina and smooth muscle cells of arterial walls 1. The inflammation leads to vessel wall thickening, narrowing of the lumen, and potential occlusion, which explains the ischemic complications seen in GCA such as vision loss, jaw claudication, and stroke 1. Some key points to consider about the arteries affected by GCA include:
- The temporal artery is the most frequently involved, which is why GCA is often called temporal arteritis 1
- The disease has a predilection for extracranial branches of the carotid artery 1
- The aorta and its major branches can also be affected, particularly in large-vessel GCA (LV-GCA) 1
- The cranial distribution of affected arteries explains the classic symptoms of headache, scalp tenderness, and visual disturbances that characterize this condition 1.
From the Research
Arteries Affected by GCA
The arteries affected by Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) include:
- Medium-sized and large-sized arteries [ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ]
- Cranial vessels [ 3, 4, 5 ]
- Temporal artery [ 2, 4, 5 ]
- Aorta and its branches [ 3, 4, 5 ]
- Extracranial branches of the carotid arteries [ 3, 4 ]
- Axillary, femoral, and iliac arteries [ 4 ]
- Arteries in the limbs [ 5 ]