Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Glucocorticoid in giant cell arteritis: real-world treatment patterns over time and associated burden in a nationwide hospital-based study within the French health insurance database
Authors' conclusion
Despite reductions in high-dose use, cumulative GC exposure in GCA remains substantial and associated with adverse outcomes, even at the lowest doses.
Study context
- Population
- Incident giant cell arteritis (GCA) cases, 2010–2022, French national health insurance database (Système National des Données de Santé)
- Participants
- 18,301 incident GCA cases
- Outcome
- GC use trajectories and treatment trends
Methodological detailspopulation-based, nationwide, latent class growth modelling, multivariable survival models
- Population-based
- Nationwide
- Latent class growth modelling
- Multivariable survival models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Glucocorticoid (GC) use trajectories identified
- Four
- Mean 2-year cumulative GC dose, patients diagnosed in 2022
- 7.6 g
- Tocilizumab prescriptions in 2022
- over 25%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Factors associated with GC tapering
- Male sex and baseline MTX or tocilizumab use associated with faster GC tapering
- Age >75 years, hypertension, kidney and neurodegenerative diseases associated with slower tapering
Mortality per gram of cumulative GC
- HR per gram
- 1.024 (95% CI 1.021 to 1.027)
Safety
Serious infection with yearly cumulative exposure to GC doses ≤5 mg/day
- HR
- 1.13 (95% CI 1.00 to 1.29)
Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) with yearly cumulative exposure to GC doses ≤5 mg/day
- HR
- 1.04 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.08)
Original publication
Glucocorticoid in giant cell arteritis: real-world treatment patterns over time and associated burden in a nationwide hospital-based study within the French health insurance database. RMD Open. Published 7 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →