Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Corticosteroids reduce vascular ultrasound sensitivity in fast- track pathways (FTP): results from Coventry Multi-Disciplinary FTP for cranial Giant Cell Arteritis
Authors' conclusion
This novel multidisciplinary pathway demonstrates excellent feasibility and minimizes the use of CSs in patients without giant cell arteritis.
Study context
- Population
- Patients attending the Coventry multidisciplinary fast-track cranial GCA pathway, 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2017
- Participants
- 620 patients
- Exposure
- Ultrasound (US) performance in corticosteroid (CS)-naïve patients vs patients with prior CS use
- Outcome
- Feasibility of the FTGCA pathway and impact of prior CS use on US performance
Methodological detailsmultidisciplinary fast-track pathway, real-life
- Multidisciplinary fast-track pathway
- Real-life
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Diagnostic performance of US for cranial GCA
| Group | Sensitivity |
|---|---|
| CS-naïve | nearly 56% |
| Prior CS | around 46% |
Sensitivity
CS-naïvenearly 56%
Prior CSaround 46%
- US sensitivity, overall
- 50%
- US specificity, overall
- > 96%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Prior CS |
|---|---|
| Duration of CS use prior to US | median 2 days |
CS use avoided completely
- Patients in whom CS use was avoided completely
- 345 (56%)
Original publication
Corticosteroids reduce vascular ultrasound sensitivity in fast- track pathways (FTP): results from Coventry Multi-Disciplinary FTP for cranial Giant Cell Arteritis. Scand J Rheumatol. Published 20 April 2022. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →