Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Epidemiology and predictors of relapse in giant cell arteritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
An erratum to this article was published (Joint Bone Spine, May 2024 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
Relapse occurred in almost half of GCA patients mainly during the first two years after diagnosis. One in three patients had multiple relapses.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA); PubMed, Embase and Cochrane searched from inception till November 30, 202130 studies (timing of relapse)
- Participants
- 2,595 patients
- Outcome
- Cumulative relapse rate (CRR) of first relapse at years 1, 2 and 5 after treatment initiation
- Follow-up
- Year 1, 2 and 5
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
CRR of first relapse
1-year cumulative relapse rate (CRR)
32%
95% CI 22–43%
2-year CRR
44%
95% CI 31–59%
5-year CRR
47%
95% CI 27–67%
Further pooled results
Scheduled GC therapy duration and 1-year CRR
- Duration of scheduled GC therapy negatively associated with 1-year CRR (P=0.03)
CRR of second and third relapse (16 studies, 1947 patients)
- CRR of second relapse
- 30% (95% CI 21-40)
- CRR of third relapse
- 17% (95% CI 8-33%)
Predictors of relapse (40 studies, 4213 patients)
- Female sex, OR
- 1.43
- Large vessel involvement, OR
- 2.04
Original publication
Epidemiology and predictors of relapse in giant cell arteritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Joint Bone Spine. Published 21 November 2022. doi:10.
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