Masked giant-cell arteritis.

Five bipsy-proven cases of giant-cell arteritis illustrate some of the lesser known, but not uncommon, masquerades of this disease. The delay in reaching the diagnosis, which is common with these presentations, was a major factor in the emergence of serious sequelae including arotic regurgitation, stroke, and death. To increase awareness of the variety of clinical presentation of giant-cell arteritis, a classification of these variants into cachectic, febrile, and other forms is suggested.