Rare manifestations of Churg-Strauss syndrome: coronary artery vasospasm, temporal artery vasculitis, and reversible monocular blindness-a case report

Clin Rheumatol. 2009 Feb;28(2):231-3. doi: 10.1007/s10067-008-1052-4. Epub 2008 Nov 26.

Abstract

Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare illness with clinical findings characterized by asthma, eosinophilia, and vasculitis affecting medium and small-sized arteries and veins in a variety of organs. Involvement of the temporal arteries by non-giant cell eosinophilic vasculitis in CSS is quite rare and has only been published as isolated case reports or small patient series. Myocardial infarction due to coronary artery vasospasm is an unusual manifestation of CSS. We describe a case of a 39-year-old woman who had two myocardial infarctions due to severe coronary artery vasospasm and was diagnosed with CSS based on a temporal artery biopsy. During the course of her treatment, she also had another rare manifestation of CSS, monocular blindness reversible with immunosuppressive therapy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amaurosis Fugax / complications
  • Amaurosis Fugax / diagnosis*
  • Amaurosis Fugax / drug therapy
  • Biopsy
  • Churg-Strauss Syndrome / complications
  • Churg-Strauss Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Coronary Vasospasm / complications
  • Coronary Vasospasm / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Myocardial Infarction / etiology
  • Temporal Arteries / pathology*
  • Vasculitis / complications
  • Vasculitis / diagnosis*
  • Vasculitis / pathology

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents