Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.31952/amha.17.1.1

GIANT CELL ARTERITIS AND CHARLES BONNET SYNDROME. THE CASE OF SAINT MARTIN OF LEON

Bonifacio Álvarez-Lario orcid.org/0000-0002-2471-824X ; Sección de Reumatología. Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain
Jesús Macarrón-Vicente orcid.org/0000-0001-8571-5096 ; Sección de Neurología. Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain

Abstract

Saint Martin of Leon was a monk who lived in the 12th century. The details of his life are
known because they were described by his contemporary, Lucas de Tuy, in the Liber de
Miraculis Sancti Isidori. Saint Martin of Leon was a venerable old man who suffered from
severe headaches, considerable difficulties in raising or maintaining his arms raised, asthenia,
and anorexia. In addition, he is represented in his codex Concordia with an unusual
hyperpigmentation of the temples suggesting a therapeutic intervention on temporal arteries.
These data lead us to think that this could be the first described case of giant cell arteritis
with some clinical information. Moreover, he experienced a singular and curious appearance
of Saint Isidore of Seville, who made him swallow a booklet, which might correspond to
a complex visual hallucination or associated Charles Bonnet syndrome. Historical data on
the disease are reviewed and discussed, as well as its evolution and treatment before giving
steroids.

Keywords

Giant cell arteritis; polymyalgia rheumatica; headache; Charles Bonnet syndrome; Saint Martin of Leon

Hrčak ID:

223249

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/223249

Publication date:

1.7.2019.

Article data in other languages: spanish

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