Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Ultrasound halo count in the differential diagnosis of atherosclerosis and large vessel giant cell arteritis
Authors' conclusion
The IMT is higher in LV-GCA than in atherosclerosis. The proposed US halo count achieves an accuracy of > 95% for the differential diagnosis between LV-GCA and atherosclerosis.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with large vessel giant cell arteritis (LV-GCA) and patients with high-risk atherosclerosis; Ultrasound (US) of axillary, subclavian and common carotid arteries (intima-media thickness (IMT) ≥ 1 mm pathological)
- Participants
- 44 vs 42
- Comparison
- LV-GCA vs high-risk atherosclerosis, US IMT of axillary, subclavian and common carotid arteries (CCA)
- LV-GCAn = 44
- Atherosclerosisn = 42reference
- Outcome
- Diagnostic discriminant validity of US IMT between LV-GCA and atherosclerosis
Performance
As reported in the abstract
US halo count (IMT ≥ 1 mm) for GCA diagnosis
- Cutoff >1 pathological vessel in the summative count of axillary and subclavian arteries, or ≥3 of six vessels including CCA: precision upper 95% for GCA diagnosis
- Mean IMT of all arteries significantly higher in LV-GCA than in atherosclerosis
Further findings
- Axillary IMT ≥ 1 mm — LV-GCA
- 31 events
- Subclavian IMT ≥ 1 mm — LV-GCA
- 30 events
- CCA IMT ≥ 1 mm — LV-GCA
- 28 events
- CCA IMT ≥ 1 mm — Atherosclerosis: carotid distal involvement
- 14
- CCA IMT ≥ 1 mm — Atherosclerosis: carotid distal involvement, bilateral
- 5
- CCA IMT ≥ 1 mm — Atherosclerosis: isolated carotid proximal involvement
- 1
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Ultrasound halo count in the differential diagnosis of atherosclerosis and large vessel giant cell arteritis. Arthritis Res Ther. Published 14 February 2023. doi:10.
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