Incidence Of Giant Cell Arteritis Research Articles

Giant Cell Arteritis

Letters15 May 1996Giant Cell ArteritisSherine E. Gabriel, MD, MSc and Gene G. Hunder, MDSherine E. Gabriel, MD, MScMayo Clinic; Rochester, MN 55905Search for more papers by this author and Gene G. Hunder, MDMayo Clinic; Rochester, MN 55905Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-124-10-199605150-00020 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail IN RESPONSE:We thank Dr. Fest and colleagues for their comments on our recently published article [1]. Although we agree that their data do not prove a causal association between cytomegalovirus and giant cell arteritis, we are pleased that our paper, which suggested the provocative hypothesis that giant cell arteritis may have an infectious cause, has sparked renewed interest in research into the cause of this condition.REFERENCE1. Salvarani C, Gabriel SE, O'Fallon WM, Hunder GG. The incidence of giant cell arteritis in Olmsted County, Minnesota: apparent fluctuations in a cyclic pattern. Ann Intern Med. 1995; 123:192-4. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Mayo Clinic; Rochester, MN 55905 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 15 May 1996Volume 124, Issue 10Page: 928KeywordsCytomegalovirus infectionGiant cells Issue Published: 15 May 1996 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1996 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...

The incidence of giant cell arteritis in Olmsted County, Minnesota: apparent fluctuations in a cyclic pattern.

To investigate trends in the incidence of giant cell arteritis over a 42-year period in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Population-based incidence study. Olmsted County, Minnesota. All incidence cases of giant cell arteritis first diagnosed between 1950 and 1991 were identified using the unified record system at Mayo Clinic. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates were calculated using the number of incidence cases as the numerator and population estimates as the denominator. Overall rates were age- and sex-adjusted to the 1980 United States white population. The annual incidence rates were graphically illustrated using a 3-year centered moving average. Between 1950 and 1991, 125 Olmsted County residents (103 women and 22 men) were diagnosed with giant cell arteritis. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence per 100,000 persons 50 years of age or older was 17.8 (95% CI, 14.7 to 21.0); incidence was significantly higher in women (24.2 [CI, 19.5 to 28.9]) than in men (8.2 [CI, 4.8 to 11.6]). Age-specific incidence rates increased with age (P < 0.0001). The annual incidence rates increased significantly over the study period (P = 0.002) and appear to have clustered in five peak periods, which occurred about every 7 years. A significant calendar-time effect was identified; it predicted an increase in incidence of 2.6% (CI, 0.9% to 4.3%) every 5 years. Our observation of a regular cyclic pattern in incidence rates over time supports the hypothesis of an infectious cause for giant cell arteritis. Similar studies in other populations are needed to confirm our findings.

Giant cell arteritis in Jerusalem: a 12-year epidemiological study.

The prevoting conception of the incidence of giant cell arteritis (GCA) among population underscores the very low incidence of this disease among Jews. We studied the epidemiology, ethnic background, and seasonality of GCA among the Jewish population of Jerusalem. Eighty-four patients with biopsy-proven GCA were identified in a period of 12 yr, from 1980-1991. The age, sex and period-adjusted incidence of GCA was 10.2 per 100,000 population aged > or = 50 yr, approximately 20-fold higher than that reported for the Jewish population in Israel for the years 1960-1978. The female:male ratio was 1.6. A declining trend in the annual incidence was observed for men but not for women. The incidence rate was similar among non-western and western Jews. The onset of GCA was more common during the early summer months (May-June).

Epidemiologic and immunogenetic aspects of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis in northern Italy

We studied the epidemiology of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in a Mediterranean population. Ninety-nine patients with PMR and/or GCA were identified over a 9-year period (1980-1988) in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The average annual incidence of PMR and GCA was 12.7/100,000 and 6.9/100,000, respectively, in a population aged 50 years or older. Frequencies of HLA antigens were determined in 49 patients with PMR and/or GCA who were followed by staff at our rheumatology unit during the 1980-1988 period. When compared with HLA findings in 242 healthy controls, DR4 was not found to be significantly associated with PMR (24% in PMR patients versus 14% in controls). Patients with GCA also showed an increased frequency of DR4 compared with controls (36% versus 14%), but this difference was also not statistically significant. The immunogenetic features of PMR and GCA and the relationship between the immunogenetic and epidemiologic patterns in different populations are discussed.

Conjugal temporal arteritis

We report the simultaneous occurrence of biopsy-proven temporal arteritis in husband and wife. Serologic and viral studies were negative, including viral culture of the wife's temporal artery. The concurrent incidence of giant cell arteritis in a married couple would suggest a common exogenous exposure.

Epidemiology of biopsy‐proven giant cell arteritis (GCA)

During a 10-year period from 1st January 1977 to 31st December 1986, a temporal artery biopsy was performed in 2307 patients in the city of Göteborg. The biopsy revealed giant cell arteritis (GCA) in 284 (12.5%) of patients. The average annual incidence of biopsy-proven GCA was 6.7 per 100,000 inhabitants. For women and men it was 9.9 and 3.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively. In individuals aged 50 years or older, the average incidence was 18.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, with values of 25 and 9.4 for women and men, respectively. The annual incidence rate increased significantly (P less than 0.01) for women, but not for men; this result was not explained by demographic changes in the population.

Giant cell arteritis, temporal arteritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica in a Danish county. A prospective investigation, 1982-1985.

The annual incidence of giant cell arteritis (the term used in this study to encompass the syndromes of temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica, occurring either together or alone) was prospectively determined in a Danish county that had a population of approximately 200,000. In a single year, 46 new cases of giant cell arteritis were diagnosed, a number which corresponds to an incidence in the overall population of 21.5/10(5), and to an incidence of 76.6/10(5) for individuals age 50 years or older. These rates are higher than those previously reported in retrospective studies. The 3-year followup of all patients showed no onset of other diseases that would require a revision of the original diagnosis. There was no deviation from the age- and sex specific malignancy rate or the mortality rate in the overall population. Women had an incidence rate 4 to 5 times higher than that seen in men. Symptoms, for the most part, were the same as those found in other studies; however, vision loss was not observed during the followup period. Point prevalence at the start of the study was 37.8/10(5), which is below the rates previously reported. This is probably because of failure on the part of participating physicians to record all cases.

The epidemiology of giant cell arteritis. Report of a ten-year study in Shelby County, Tennessee.

We have studied the epidemiology of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in an urban population in south central United States. The incidence of GCA in Shelby County, Tennessee for the years 1971 through 1980 was determined for the total population and for age-, sex-, and race-specific groups. Over this period 26 cases were identified. The average annual incidence was 0.35/100,000. This was increased to 1.58/100,000 for those over the age of 50. The incidence was 7 times greater in whites than in blacks and 7 times greater in females than in males. Clinical and laboratory features of the patients were reviewed and found to be similar to those in other populations. GCA is considerably less frequent in Shelby County, Tennessee than in other areas where similar epidemiologic studies have been performed. This difference can be accounted for only in part by racial distributions. Similar studies in southern geographic areas are needed to place our findings in perspective and point to specific factors which may have etiologic significance in GCA.

The epidemiology of giant cell arteritis including temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. Incidences of different clinical presentations and eye complications.

During a period of three years in Göteborg, Sweden, 126 cases of giant cell arteritis (GCA) were diagnosed. Histologic evidence of arteritis was found on temporal artery biopsy in 74 (59%). The total annual incidence of GCA was calculated to be 9.3 per 100,000 inhabitants. In the age group over 50, incidence was 28.6 per 100,000. For histologically proven GCA, the incidence was 5.5 per 100,000 of the total population. The corresponding figure in the age group over 50 was 16.8 per 100,000. Twenty-six patients (21%) had a clinical presentation of temporal arteritis, and 23 (18%) had a combined picture of temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Sixty-seven (53%) had the PMR syndrome without any temporal symptoms, and 10 patients (8%) had a "silent" presentation with only general symptoms. The PMR syndrome was more common among women with GCA (79%) than among men (56%). The group of patients without muscular symptoms contained an equal number of men and women. Eye complications were seen in 15 patients (12%). In 6, the ocular symptoms were transient, while 9 suffered from permanent loss of vision. In 3 of these patients, temporal artery biopsy revealed no evidence of arteritis, and 5 had no clinical signs of localized temporal arteritis.