Vision loss in cranial arteritis: Relation to corticosteroid therapy

Fifty-one patients with biopsy proved cranial arteritis were retrospectively studied to assess the relationship between steroid administration and vision loss. It was found that the major risk to vision loss occurred early in the disease. In only one case did vision loss occur after 96 hours of high dose (>60 mg of prednisone equivalent) steroid treatment, even with flare-up of disease concomitant with steroid withdrawal. It is concluded that high dose steroid treatment need be used only early in the course of the disease.