Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Does the halo count on temporal and axillary ultrasound predict time to relapse in giant cell arteritis?
Main finding · Time to relapse per halo (univariable)Result — go to the resultHazard ratio 1.15 95% CI 1.02–1.30Authors' conclusion
GCA patients with a higher HC at diagnosis were significantly more likely to relapse, but significance was lost on excluding those with HC of zero.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with confirmed giant cell arteritis (GCA) who had temporal and axillary artery US at diagnosismedian follow-up 20.9 months
- Participants
- 72 patients
- Exposure
- Halo count on TAUS at diagnosis as predictor of time to relapse
- Outcome
- Time to relapse (increase in GCA disease activity requiring treatment escalation)
Methodological detailssingle-centre, Cox proportional hazard regression
- Single-centre
- Cox proportional hazard regression
Main finding
Time to relapse per halo (univariable)
Hazard ratio
1.15
95% CI 1.02–1.30
P = 0.028
Per halo
HR 1.15 (95% CI 1.02–1.30); P = 0.028
Per halo, as printed
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Relapse during follow-up (median 20.9 months), at a median prednisolone dose of 9 mg (range 0-40 mg)
- Patients who relapsed during follow-up
- 37 of 72 (51.4%)
Large-vessel (axillary artery) involvement as predictor of relapse
- Large-vessel (axillary artery) involvement did not predict relapse
Halo count (HC) and time to relapse, excluding the 10 patients with HC of zero
- Statistical significance was lost when the 10 GCA patients with an HC of zero were excluded
Original publication
Does the halo count on temporal and axillary ultrasound predict time to relapse in giant cell arteritis? Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 3 May 2023. doi:10.
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