Aortic & peripheral vascular disease
Diagnostic Strategy Using Color Doppler Ultrasound of Temporal Arteries in Patients With High Clinical Suspicion of Giant Cell Arteritis : A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
By using ultrasound of the temporal arteries as a first-line diagnostic tool in patients with high clinical suspicion of GCA, further diagnostic tests for patients with positive ultrasound were avoided.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with high clinical suspicion of giant cell arteritis (GCA), aged 79 years (IQR 73 to 85), referred to GCA-experienced physicians at 4 general and 2 university hospitals
- Participants
- 165 patients
- Comparison
- Ultrasound first-line, temporal artery biopsy (TAB) second-line vs physician expertise as reference
- Outcome
- GCA diagnosis by ultrasound, TAB and physician expertise
Methodological detailsprospective, multicentre, 2-year follow-up, Ultrasound performed <7 days after starting corticosteroids, No blinding of ultrasound and TAB results; no objective gold standard
- Prospective
- Multicentre
- 2-year follow-up
- Ultrasound performed <7 days after starting corticosteroids
- No blinding of ultrasound and TAB results; no objective gold standard
Performance
As reported in the abstract
GCA diagnosis confirmed
- Alternative diagnosis
- 18%
- Ultrasound-positive among patients with clinical GCA diagnosis
- 54% (95% CI, 45% to 62%)
Original publication
Diagnostic Strategy Using Color Doppler Ultrasound of Temporal Arteries in Patients With High Clinical Suspicion of Giant Cell Arteritis : A Prospective Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. Published 7 May 2024. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it