Jaw claudication with temporal artery tenderness and vision disturbance is classic for which condition?

• A. Jaw claudication with arm weakness
• B. Vision disturbance with fever
• C. Jaw claudication with temporal artery tenderness and vision disturbance
• D. Temporal arteritis without jaw symptoms

Answer: (C)

Temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis) is the condition this presentation points to. Inflammation of the branches of the carotid artery, especially the temporal artery, leads to granulomatous vasculitis with ischemia of nearby structures. Jaw claudication comes from ischemia of the masticatory muscles, temporal artery tenderness reflects the inflamed artery, and vision disturbance indicates involvement of ocular blood flow (often the ophthalmic artery leading to optic neuropathy). The combination of age over 50, jaw claudication, temporal artery tenderness, and vision changes is highly characteristic and demands urgent treatment with high‑dose steroids to prevent irreversible blindness, with biopsy later confirming granulomatous inflammation.