Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Prevalence and characteristics of subclinical giant cell arteritis in polymyalgia rheumatica
Authors' conclusion
More than a fifth of the pure PMR patients had US findings consistent with subclinical GCA. This specific subset of patients showed a predilection for extracranial artery involvement.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed PMR without symptoms or signs suggestive of GCA; US of temporal superficial, common carotid, subclavian and axillary arteries
- Participants
- 346 patients
- Exposure
- PMR with subclinical GCA vs PMR without subclinical GCA; vessel pattern vs a classical single-centre GCA cohort
- PMR without subclinical GCAn = 267reference
- PMR with subclinical GCAn = 79
- Outcome
- Prevalence and characteristics of subclinical GCA in patients with PMR
Methodological detailsmulticentre, international, consecutive patients
- Multicentre
- International
- Consecutive patients
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Prevalence of subclinical GCA
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Clinical characteristics
- PMR with subclinical GCA significantly older, longer morning stiffness and more frequent hip pain than PMR without subclinical GCA
Pattern of vessel involvement
- PMR with subclinical GCA: predominant extracranial large vessel pattern vs cranial phenotype predominating in classical GCA
- PMR patients in the classical GCA group: pattern similar to classical GCA without PMR but different from PMR with subclinical involvement
Original publication
Prevalence and characteristics of subclinical giant cell arteritis in polymyalgia rheumatica. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 2 May 2023. doi:10.
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