Jaw claudication in primary amyloidosis: unusual presentation of a rare disease

We describe two patients with temporal artery biopsy-proven amyloidosis presenting with symptoms of jaw claudication, visual disturbance, and proximal muscle stiffness suggestive of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica. At the onset of disease, neither patient had other characteristic symptoms to suggest primary amyloid. We point out similarities between GCA and primary amyloid that can lead to confusion in diagnosis.