Primary systemic amyloidosis masquerading as giant cell arteritis. Case report and review of the literature.

Amyloidosis is a rare disease in which a fibrillar protein is deposited in multiple human tissues. Of the 4 subtypes, the most common type involving rheumatic disease features is hemodialysis-associated amyloidosis. Herein we describe an elderly man who presented with symptoms of giant cell arteritis or systemic vasculitis and was found to have amyloidosis as demonstrated on muscle, nerve, and temporal artery biopsy.