To the Editor:
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common vasculitis in those over age 50 years. The main symptoms are headache, jaw claudication, polymyalgia rheumatica, visual loss, fatigue, and fever. Pericarditis and myocardial infarction due to coronary arteritis have been rarely reported1,2,3. Myopericarditis has been described in only 3 patients1,2. We describe a new case of acute myopericarditis occurring in a patient with previously undiagnosed GCA.
An 82-year-old woman was admitted to the emergency department for an acute retrosternal chest pain radiating to both arms and lasting for 30 min. She had no cardiovascular risk factors. She had also had 3 months of fatigue, weight loss, polymyalgia, a bitemporal headache, and jaw claudication. Examination revealed tender temporal arteries. There were no symptoms of chronic or acute heart failure. …
Address correspondence to Dr. G. Pugnet, Service de Médecine Interne, CHU Toulouse-Purpan, Place du Docteur Baylac, TSA 40031, 31059 Toulouse cedex, France. E-mail: gpugnet{at}cict.fr