All patients (n=47) | Relapsing patients (n=32) | Non-relapsing patients (n=15) | P value | |
Female, n (%) | 30 (64) | 21 (66) | 9 (60) | 0.753 |
Age, years, median (IQR) | 72 (66–76) | 72 (66–76) | 72 (65–76) | 0.732 |
BMI, kg/m2, median (IQR) | 23 (21–26); N=32 | 24 (22–27); N=20 | 22 (20–25); N=12 | 0.211 |
Vascular involvement by imaging | ||||
Temporal artery, n (%) | 28 (60) | 18 (56) | 10 (67) | 0.357 |
Large vessels, n (%) | 31 (66) | 23 (72) | 8 (53) | 0.719 |
Disease characteristics | ||||
Fever, n (%) | 6 (13) | 4 (13) | 2 (13) | 1 |
Weight loss, n (%) | 21 (45) | 13 (41) | 8 (53) | 0.616 |
Stroke/TIA, n (%) | 2(4) | 1(3) | 1(7) | 0.541 |
Visual impairment, n (%) | 12 (26) | 7 (22) | 5 (33) | 0.481 |
Permanent vision loss, n (%) | 3 (6) | 3 (9) | 0 (0) | 0.541 |
Jaw claudication, n (%) | 15 (32) | 9 (28) | 6 (40) | 0.623 |
New onset headache, n (%) | 35 (74) | 24 (75) | 11 (73) | 1 |
Scalp tenderness, n (%) | 16 (34) | 12 (38) | 4 (27) | 0.528 |
Pathological temporal artery, n (%) | 17 (36) | 10 (31) | 7 (47) | 0.484 |
Polymyalgia, n (%) | 18 (38) | 12 (38) | 4 (27) | 1 |
ESR, mm/hour, median (IQR) | 64 (35–90) | 70 (46–95) | 42 (28–71) | 0.027 |
C-reactive protein, mg/L, median (IQR) | 76 (42–110) | 90 (48–145) | 59 (40–90) | 0.171 |
Haemoglobin, g/L, median (IQR) | 120 (106–133) | 118 (106–127) | 127 (114–140) | 0.077 |
Therapy | ||||
GC pulse therapy (intravenous), n (%) | 11 (23) | 5 (16) | 6 (40) | 0.136 |
Initial GC dose (p.o.), mg/day, median (IQR) | 60 (50–60) | 60 (50–60) | 60 (50–60) | 0.908 |
All p values below 0.05 have been given in bold
BMI, body mass index; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GC, glucocorticoid; GCA, giant cell arteritis; n, number; p.o., peroral; TIA, transient ischaemic attack.