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The objective of the study was to evaluate the clinical features, response to treatment, and long-term outcome of subglottic stenosis (SGS) in a series of patients diagnosed as having Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) at a single institution. Subglottic stenosis developed in 6 out of 51 (11.7%) patients, in four of them in the absence of other features of active disease, and was the symptom that leads to WG diagnosis in three cases. In two cases, SGS began while the patients were receiving systemic immunosuppressive therapy for disease activity involving other sites. PR3-ANCAs were positive in four cases. An urgent tracheostomy was needed in two patients. Four patients achieved SGS clinical remission on standard treatment with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide, but three of them experienced repeated local relapses and required additional immunosuppressive therapy and mechanical dilations. In one case, a local relapse was successfully managed with endotracheal dilation of the stenotic segment and intralesional injection of a long-acting corticosteroid plus mechanical dilation of the stenotic segment (ILCD) without adding supplemental immunosuppressant drugs. Two patients with isolated SGS were also successfully managed with ILCD alone and did not require the institution of systemic immunosuppressive therapy. One patient underwent open surgical repair when the disease was under control. Our data suggest that Subglottic stenosis often occurs or progresses independently of other features of active WG, and that ILCD may be a safe alternative to conventional immunosuppressive therapy in patients who develop SGS in the absence of other features of active disease, allowing reducing the treatment-related toxicity.

Cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) and multi-infarct dementia have rarely been reported as presenting symptoms of giant cell arteritis (GCA), although 3%-4% of patients with GCA may present with CVAs during the course of the disease. We describe 7 patients with biopsy-proven GCA who presented with stroke or multi-infarct dementia. Most of them had other symptoms of GCA when the disease began that were misdiagnosed or not noticed. The internal carotid arteries were involved in 4 patients and the vertebrobasilar arteries in 3, with bilateral vertebral artery occlusion in 1. Small cerebral infarction foci on cranial computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were found in 5 cases, and cerebellar infarction, in 2. MR angiography showed intracranial arteritis in 4 cases. Treatment with glucocorticoids and adjunctive antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy was given in all cases, with neurologic improvement in 5. Two patients died. Necropsy demonstrated generalized GCA involving the medium and small cerebral vessels in 1 case. Central nervous system involvement is a rare complication in GCA but is important to recognize, as it can be reversible if diagnosed and treated promptly. Suspicion should arise in elderly patients suffering from strokes with a quickly progressing stepwise course and associated headache, fever, or inflammatory syndrome. In these cases, temporal artery biopsy should be performed without delay. Early diagnosis of GCA and immediate initiation of corticosteroid treatment may prevent progressive deterioration and death. Additional antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy should be evaluated according to the individual risk and benefit to the patient under care.

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Background-Both matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and -9 (MMP-9) have been postulated to play roles in the pathophysiology of giant cell arteritis (GCA) because of their ability to degrade elastin. Understanding the specific mediators of arterial damage in GCA could lead to new therapeutic targets in this disease. Methods and Results-Temporal artery biopsy specimens were obtained from 147 consecutive patients suspected of GCA. Clinical and histopathological data were collected according to protocol. Using immunohistochemistry, we compared the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the temporal artery biopsies of both GCA cases (nϭ50) and controls (nϭ97). MMP-9 was found more frequently in positive than in negative temporal artery biopsies (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.20; Pϭ0.01). In contrast, the frequency of MMP-2 was not significantly different between positive and negative biopsies (adjusted OR, 2.18; Pϭ0.22). Both MMP-2 and MMP-9 were found in macrophages and giant cells near the internal elastic lamina and in smooth muscle cells and myofibroblasts of the media and intima. MMP-9 was also found in the vasa vasorum. MMP-9 but not MMP-2 was associated with internal elastic lamina degeneration, intimal hyperplasia, and luminal narrowing, even after adjustment for possible confounding variables. Conclusions-MMP-9 appears more likely than MMP-2 to be involved in the pathophysiology of GCA. MMP-9 not only participates in the degradation of elastic tissue but also is associated with intimal hyperplasia, subsequent luminal narrowing, and neoangiogenesis.