Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
The value of axillary, facial, occipital, subclavian and common carotid arteries ultrasound in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis
Authors' conclusion
Adding the evaluation of AXs to the TA ultrasound increased the number of patients diagnosed with GCA, even in cases of predominantly cranial symptoms.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with new-onset GCA and a positive US of the temporal artery (TA), AX, facial (FA), occipital (OC), subclavian (SC) or common carotid (CC), rheumatology departments of two academic centres
- Exposure
- TA US alone vs TA plus AX, FA, OC, SC or CC US
- Outcome
- Diagnostic value for GCA of adding AX to TA US
Methodological detailstwo academic centres
- Two academic centres
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Increase in diagnostic yield for GCA when added to TA US
Adding AX to TA US
9.6%
Adding OC to TA and AX US
1.4%
Adding SC to TA and AX US
1.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Values |
|---|---|
| Positive US (halo sign) by artery | TA 89.6% · FA 48.8% · OC 24.6% · AX 24.3% · SC 54.4% · CC 20.6% |
Negative TA US
- Negative TA US
- 24/230 (10.4%)
- AX involvement among negative TA US
- 22
- Exclusive OC involvement
- 1
- Exclusive SC involvement
- 1
Negative TA US but positive AX US by symptoms (subgroup)
- With cranial symptoms
- 13
- With exclusively cranial symptoms
- 4
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
The value of axillary, facial, occipital, subclavian and common carotid arteries ultrasound in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 8 June 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →