A case of pulmonary asbestosis presenting with temporal arteritis involving multiple medium-sized vessels

A 76-year-old woman with pulmonary asbestosis was admitted with fever and polymyalgia. She subsequently developed a visual disorder, hemoptysis, and hemoperitoneum. A biopsy of the temporal artery revealed the presence of giant-cell arteritis. CT and angiography showed hemorrhaging from the bronchial and abdominal arteries. These observations suggested temporal arteritis in which medium-sized vessels were involved. This case implies the association between vasculitis and asbestosis, and suggests a problem in the classification of vasculitides.