Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Time to diagnosis in large vessel vasculitis: insights from a retrospective study at a tertiary rheumatology centre
Authors' conclusion
Diagnostic delay varies by subtype and clinical presentation. Time to diagnosis was longer in TAK compared with GCA, whereas typical cranial symptoms facilitate earlier diagnosis.
Study context
- Population
- Patients diagnosed with giant cell arteritis (GCA) and TAK between January 2014 and May 2025 at a tertiary rheumatology centre
- Participants
- 501 patients
- Exposure
- TAK vs GCA; factors associated with time to diagnosis
- TAKn = 13
- GCAn = 488reference
- Outcome
- Time to diagnosis: interval between onset of first large vessel vasculitis (LVV)-related symptoms and confirmed diagnosis
Methodological detailssingle-centre, multivariate Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier curves
- Single-centre
- Multivariate Cox regression
- Kaplan-Meier curves
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Time to diagnosis
- Typical cranial symptoms: shorter diagnostic interval (HR)
- HR 1.27, p=0.022
- Involvement of aorta and its major branches: prolonged delay (HR)
- HR 0.64, p<0.001
- Prior consultations by rheumatologists: longer delay (HR)
- HR 0.73, p=0.004
- Referral by ophthalmologists: earlier diagnosis (HR)
- HR 2.40, p=0.001
- Referral by cardiologists: earlier diagnosis (HR)
- HR 3.81, p=0.008
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Time to diagnosis in large vessel vasculitis: insights from a retrospective study at a tertiary rheumatology centre. RMD Open. Published 15 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →