INTESTINAL PERFORATION IN TEMPORAL ARTERITIS, ASSOCIATED WITH PAROXYSMAL-NOCTURNAL HEMOGLOBINURIA

Temporal arteritis (TA) is an adult-onset, focal granulomatous inflamm atory disorder of the small and medium sized arteries. Intestinal perf oration is a rare complication of TA, Regarding its etiology, steroid- induced or arteritis-induced ulceration have been proposed. We describ e a patient who developed TA in addition to preceding paroxysmal noctu rnal hemoglobinuria. During steroid therapy for TA, intestinal perfora tion manifested, and it was proven to be arteritis induced perforation on histological examinations, The patient may be the 5th reported cas e of TA complicated with arteritis-induced intestinal perforation, The possibility of polyangitis overlap syndrome of TA and polyarteritis n odosa is discussed.