Giant cell arteritis: no inherent effect on death rate.

Clinical bottom line (level 4)

  1. Patients with giant cell arteritis did not have a higher mortality.
  2. Visual symptoms were common and did not improve.
Huston et al: Annals of Internal Medicine 1978; 88: 162-167
Expires February 2001

The study

Retrospective cohort study with objective outcomes, not adjusted for confounding factors, not validated in an independent set of patients.

Setting: US county

42 patients (aged range 56 to 92 years; median 75, 80% female) positive temporal artery biopsies
All patients received steroids immediately.


Outcomes studied:

The evidence


  • Prevalence at January 1975 was 1.33 per 1000 in patients older than 50 years.
  • Giant cell arteritis had no effect on overall survival.
  • 40% of patients had visual symptoms- 10% with permanent vision loss. No patient's sight improved.

Comments

  1. Small number of patients, spread over a long period of time. Difficult to make any useful comments.

Citation

  1. Huston KA, Hunder GG, Lie JT, et al: Temporal arteritis: a twenty-five year epidemiological, clinical and pathologic study. Annals of Internal Medicine 1978; 88: 162-167
Contributor: Chris Ball and Clare Wotton, February 2000
Reviewer:

Clinical Question.
Patient giant cell arteritis
Intervention or Exposure in US county
Outcome prevalence