2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria in GCA+ and GCA− patients as diagnosed by the treating physician stratified by a cut-off score of ≥6
| Score† | GCA+* (n=53) | GCA−* (n=80) | |||
| Score <6 (n=1) | Score ≥6 (n=52) | Score <6 (n=46) | Score ≥6 (n=34) | ||
| Clinical criteria, n (%) | |||||
| Morning stiffness in shoulders/neck‡ | +2 | 0 (0.0) | 27 (51.9) | 18 (39.1) | 16 (47.1) |
| Sudden visual loss | +3 | 0 (0.0) | 13 (25.0) | 3 (6.5) | 10 (29.4) |
| Jaw or tongue claudication‡ | +2 | 0 (0.0) | 21 (40.4) | 0 (0.0) | 5 (14.7) |
| New temporal headache | +2 | 0 (0.0) | 45 (86.5) | 28 (60.9) | 29 (85.3) |
| Scalp tenderness | +2 | 0 (0.0) | 27 (51.9) | 10 (21.7) | 15 (44.1) |
| Abnormal examination of the temporal artery | +2 | 0 (0.0) | 27 (51.9) | 4 (8.7) | 13 (38.2) |
| Laboratory, imaging and biopsy criteria, n (%) | |||||
| Maximum ESR ≥50 mm/hour or maximum CRP ≥10 mg/L | +3 | 1 (100) | 46 (88.5) | 17 (37.0) | 21 (61.8) |
| Positive TAB or halo sign on temporal artery ultrasound | +5 | 0 (0.0) | 40 (76.9) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.9) |
| Bilateral axillary involvement | +2 | 1 (100) | 15 (28.8) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.9) |
| FDG-PET activity throughout the aorta | +2 | 0 (0) | 7 (13.5) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (2.9) |
| Total score classification criteria, mean (SD) | 5.0§ | 13.8 (3.9) | 3.9 (1.3) | 7.6 (1.9) | |
Definitions of individual criteria were similar to the definitions described in the 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria.1
*Diagnosis after 6 months follow up according to the treating physician.
†Score as described in the 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria.1
‡Criteria neck stiffness and tongue claudication were not registered in our database.
§Based on 1 patient.
ACR, American College of Rheumatology; CRP, C reactive protein; ESR, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate using Westergren method; FDG, fluorodeoxyglucose; GCA+, Patients diagnosed with giant cell arteritis; GCA, giant cell arteritis; GCA−, Patients suspected of but not diagnosed with giant cell arteritis; PET, positron emission tomography; TAB, temporal artery biopsy.