Randomised controlled trials of GC in GCA
| Study ID | Study design | GCA subtype | n | Intervention | Control | Primary outcome | Results (i) | Results (c) | P value |
| Raine et al 70 2018 | Feasibility study, prospective, randomised, open-label, blinded evaluator | New |
12
7 (i) vs 5 (c) | MR prednisolone | Prednisolone | Persistent clinical disease control week 26 | 6/7 | 4/5 | NA |
| Mazlumzadeh et al 71 2006 | Double-blind, placebo- controlled, randomised prospective controlled trial | New |
27
14 (i) vs 13 (c) | GC i.v. 15 mg/kg/day for 3 days → 40 mg/day PRED p.o. | i.v. saline for 3 days+40 mg/day PRED | GC ≤5 mg/day week 36 | 10/14 (71%) | 2/13 (15%) | 0.003 |
| Cacoub et al 72 2001 | Double-blind, randomised prospective controlled trial | New |
74
37 (i) vs 37 (c) | Prednisolone 0.7 mg/kg/day | Deflazacort (equivalent dose) | Bone mass loss (g/cm2) month 12 | 0.026±0.007 | 0.03±0.005 | NS |
| Chevalet et al 73 2000 | Randomised prospective controlled trial (not blinded) | New |
146
61 (i) vs 53 (c2) vs 50 (c3) | GC i.v. 240 mg → 0.7 mg/kg/day PRED p.o. | (C2): 0.7 mg/kg/day PRED p.o. -(C3): GC i.v. 240 mg → 0.5 mg/kg/day PRED p.o. | Mean cumulative PRED dose (mg) mo 12 | 5777 | 5578 (c2); 5168 (c3) | 0.38 |
c, control; GC, methylprednisolone; GCA, giant cell arteritis; i, intervention; i.v., intravenous; mo, month; MR, modified release; NA, not applicable; New, newly diagnosed giant cell arteritis;NS, non-significant; p.o., oral route; PRED, prednisolone.