Lyme carditis mimicking giant cell arteritis

Krati Chauhan

doi:10.4081/rr.2015.6023

Case Reports & Letters

13 October 2015

Vol. 7 No. 1 (2015)

https://doi.org/10.4081/rr.2015.6023

Lyme carditis mimicking giant cell arteritis

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Lyme carditis, giant cell arteritis, Borrelia burgdorferi

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Authors

Krati Chauhan

kchauhan85@siumed.edu

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL, United States.

Presenting an interesting case of a patient who complained of myalgias, fatigue, headache, jaw claudication and scalp tenderness. Patient’s physical examination was unremarkable. Laboratory findings showed elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, bilateral temporal artery biopsy results were negative and first degree atrioventricular block was seen on electrocardiogram. Serology for Borrelia burgdorferi was positive; patient was diagnosed with Lyme carditis and treated with doxycycline. Lyme is a tick-borne, multi-system disease and occasionally its presentation may mimic giant cell arteritis. On follow-up there was complete resolution of symptoms and electrocardiogram findings.