Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Epidemiology of major and minor relapses in giant cell arteritis according to EULAR definitions: insights from the ARTESER registry
Authors' conclusion
Major relapses are not so uncommon, representing a quarter of all relapses. The presence of severe ischemic complications and LV involvement at diagnosis substantially increase their risk.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) in the Spanish multicentre GCA registry (ARTESER) with at least one year of follow-up≥1 year of follow-up
- Participants
- 1,284 patients
- Outcome
- Prevalence, timing and risk factors at diagnosis of relapses (2018 EULAR definitions), major and minor analysed separately
Methodological detailsmulticentre, registry-based (ARTESER), Relapses classified using 2018 EULAR definitions
- Multicentre
- Registry-based (ARTESER)
- Relapses classified using 2018 EULAR definitions
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Relapses
- Patients with relapses
- 26%
- Cumulative relapse rate at 1 year
- 18.1%
- Cumulative relapse rate at 2 years
- 27.9%
- Cumulative relapse rate at 3 years
- 37.6%
- Cumulative relapse rate at 4 years
- 44.8%
- Major relapses, share of all recorded relapses
- 26.7%
- Patients with major relapses
- 7.6%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Multiple relapses
- First year
- 14.6%
- Second year
- 10.5%
- Third year
- 9%
- Fourth year
- 17.8%
Risk factors for overall relapses
- Younger age at diagnosis (reduced risk), HR
- 0.976, P = 0.004
- Higher total prednisone dose at first relapse (reduced risk), HR
- 0.998, P = 0.003
Risk factors for major relapses
- Severe ischemic complications, HR
- 4.126, P < 0.001
- Large-vessel involvement at diagnosis, HR
- 1.992, P = 0.024
Risk factors for minor relapses
- Younger age (protective), HR
- 0.970, P = 0.002
Original publication
Epidemiology of major and minor relapses in giant cell arteritis according to EULAR definitions: insights from the ARTESER registry. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 9 May 2025. doi:10.
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