[Giant cell temporal arteritis with low blood sedimentation rate].

Attention is drawn to the existence of low erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) during the active phase of temporal arteritis. The author describes the results of a retrospective study on the ESR of 34 cases diagnosed at the University Hospital of Geneva: The average value was 80 mm after 1 hour, the ESR was under 40 mm in 4 patients (11%) of whom 1 (3%) had a ESR under 20 mm. These results are close to those obtained in 373 cases reviewed in the literature. Only biopsy-positive cases were selected.