TY - JOUR T1 - Isolated cranial nerve syndromes without proximal carotid involvement in aortoarteritis JF - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases JO - Ann Rheum Dis SP - 465 LP - 466 DO - 10.1136/ard.2003.010389 VL - 63 IS - 4 AU - G R Shroff AU - D R Karnad AU - U S Limaye AU - V M Kothari Y1 - 2004/04/01 UR - http://ard.bmj.com/content/63/4/465.abstract N2 - Takayasu’s arteritis or aortoarteritis affects the aorta and its proximal branches.1 Cranial nerve involvement in the form of ischaemic optic neuropathy secondary to proximal carotid involvement is common.2 Involvement of other cranial nerves has been reported only once before.3 We report two patients with aortoarteritis who developed isolated cranial nerve palsies. Notably, in both cases it occurred without proximal carotid involvement. Patient 1, a 30 year old businessman, presented with malignant hypertension because of right renal artery stenosis due to aortoarteritis affecting the abdominal aorta. After successful balloon angioplasty, blood pressure was well controlled with antihypertensive drugs. Two years later he developed sudden headache and diplopia on looking towards the left. Examination showed a convergent squint in the left eye due to abducens nerve palsy. Contrast enhanced brain … ER -