Idiopathic granulomatous vasculitis: response to immunosuppressive therapy.

A case of idiopathic granulomatous vasculitis (disseminated visceral giant cell arteritis) is described in an old woman, the seventh case of this rare disorder reported to date. The main organ affected was the liver and, to our knowledge, this is the first patient to be diagnosed while still alive and the only case to have received medical treatment. It is also the first time that muscular involvement has been documented in this condition. Cyclophosphamide treatment resulted in disappearance of symptoms and increase in weight. The patient died of an unrelated condition.