Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a primitive systemic vasculitis related to a sub-acute inflammatory panarteritis, histologically characterized by segmentary and plurifocal damage, with giant cells and destruction of the internal elastic lamina. GCA involves large and medium sized vessels in subjects over 50, particularly between 75 and 85, and is more common in women (7:3sex-ratio). This arteriti...

Giant cell (temporal) arteritis (GCA) is characterized by a granulomatous inflammatory reaction that penetrates all layers of the wall of mediumto large-sized arteries (1). The transmural vasculitis is particularly prone to involve cranial arteries such as the superficial temporal artery (TA), but not infrequently the disease extends to involve large muscular arteries including the subclavian a...

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) (temporal arteritis) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are common, frequently related conditions in people generally over 50 years of age. Most studies have shown an association of GCA with HLA-DRB1 *04 alleles. As regards isolated PMR, however, the HLA class II genetic susceptibility varies from one population to another. Besides associations with HLA, tumor necrosis ...

OBJECTIVES Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is performed in suspected cases of sight-threatening giant cell arteritis (GCA). We aimed to determine the feasibility of TAB in patients who are suspected of having GCA. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS A retrospective audit of all patients undergoing TAB at a single teaching hospital between 2005 and 2011, identified from the histopathology database. ...

OBJECTIVE GCA carries an increased risk of developing thoracic aortic aneurysms. Previous work with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET has shown that the aorta is frequently involved in this type of vasculitis. We wanted to investigate whether there is a correlation between the extent of vascular FDG uptake during the acute phase of GCA and the aortic diameter at late follow-up. METHODS All patient...

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is considered to be a benign disease by some, while others think it is a more serious illness which required similar treatment to giant cell arteritis (GCA). The progress of 85 patients with PMR who presented to a district general hospital has been studied in an attempt to study this relationship. Thirty-eight patients had PMR alone, and 14 developed PMR and GCA wit...

OBJECTIVES To examine the clinical course of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) in a prospective study, after the initial two months. METHODS Seventy four patients with PMR/GCA were followed for a median of 60 weeks. Detailed clinical and laboratory records were made on each visit. RESULTS Twenty per cent of patients with PMR developed GCA and 24% of patients with G...

BACKGROUND Early temporal artery biopsy is recommended in all patients with suspected cranial GCA (Giant Cell Arteritis) by the BSR (British Society of Rheumatology) and BHPR (British Health Professionals in Rheumatology) guidelines. This should be performed within one week ideally. AIM To assess ACR (American College of Rheumatology) score at presentation and whether temporal artery biopsy r...

Immunohistochemical features of infiltrating mononuclear cells (MNC) and resident cells were studied in the temporal artery biopsy specimens of 13 patients with histological verified giant cell arteritis (GCA) and in six biopsy specimens from patients with GCA with negative histological findings. Eight temporal artery biopsy specimens from seven patients with unrelated diseases served as contro...