Objective. To determine the relationship between FCGR3B gene copy number variation (CNV) and biopsy proven giant cell arteritis (GCA). Methods. FCGR3B CNV was determined in 139 Australian biopsy proven GCA patients and 162 population matched controls, using a duplex qPCR assay and RNase P as the reference gene. Copy number was determined using Copy Caller software (v.1.0, Applied Biosystems, US...

OBJECTIVES Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) affect individuals older than 50 years of age and corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment. The aim of our study was to explore the role of leflunomide as a corticosteroid-sparing agent in GCA and PMR patients. METHODS Patients with difficult-to-treat GCA and PMR were retrospectively identified in the period from 2010...

OBJECTIVE Permanent visual impairment has been reported to occur in up to 19% of GCA patients. The aim of this study was to examine whether implementation of a fast-track approach could reduce the rate of permanent visual impairment and inpatient days of care in GCA patients. METHODS A fast-track outpatient GCA clinic (FTC) was implemented in the Department of Rheumatology, Hospital of Southe...

INTRODUCTION The objective was to investigate the potential implication of the IL18 gene promoter polymorphisms in the susceptibility to giant-cell arteritis (GCA). METHODS In total, 212 patients diagnosed with biopsy-proven GCA were included in this study. DNA from patients and matched controls was obtained from peripheral blood. Samples were genotyped for the IL18-137 G>C (rs187238), the IL...

When evaluating patients with dementia, it is common to check for easily reversible problems, such as hypothyroidism, normal pressure hydrocephalus and B12 deficiency. Although these are not usually the main cause of a patient's troubles, correcting them improves chances for preserving, or at least stabilising, cognitive status. This letter makes the argument that both clinicians and researcher...

In a case series published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Conway et al reported a significant steroid-sparing effect of ustekinumab (monoclonal antibody to interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23) in 14 patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). Recently, Ferfar et al summarised current evidence showing the efficacy of tocilizumab and abatacept in patients with GCA. In the ongoing multicentre, r...

OBJECTIVE To investigate functional expression of NKG2D on CD4 and CD8 T-cells in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). METHODS Peripheral blood was drawn from patients with GCA (n=16), PMR (n=78) and healthy controls (HC, n=64). Tissue samples were obtained from GCA patients and controls. Proliferation and cytokine production assays were performed using C...

Literature suggests that genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to gastric cancer (GCa) are mostly located in genes involved in carcinogenesis and possibly tumor progression. Therefore, we hypothesize that high genetic susceptibility is also associated with prognosis of the patients. To test this hypothesis, we selected a total of 42 common genetic variants that were reported...

We report five cases of glucocorticoid-responsive mouth symptoms in polymyalgia rheumatica/giant cell arteritis (GCA); three cases of tongue pain exacerbated by hot/spicy food, a case of scalp pain made worse by eating hot/spicy food and a case of sore tongue as a presenting feature of GCA. These cases emphasize the importance of asking about mouth symptoms and changes in taste when evaluating ...