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Extra-cranial giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis: How similar are they?

Tanaz A Kermani1, Cynthia S Crowson2, Francesco Muratore3

  • 1Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 2020 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 540, Los Angeles, CA 90404.

Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
|February 26, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) with upper extremity (UE) involvement differs from Takayasu arteritis (TAK) in patient demographics and vascular imaging. Aortic aneurysms are more common in GCA, while stenotic changes prevail in TAK.

Area of Science:

  • Vascular Medicine
  • Rheumatology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TAK) are large vessel vasculitides.
  • Distinguishing between GCA with upper extremity (UE) involvement and TAK is crucial for appropriate management.
  • Clinical and imaging features can aid in differentiating these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the clinical and imaging characteristics of patients with GCA and UE arterial involvement to those with TAK.
  • To identify key differentiating features between GCA and TAK.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with TAK (1984-2009) and GCA with UE involvement (1999-2008) at the Mayo Clinic.
  • Comparison of demographic data, clinical presentation, and imaging findings between the two cohorts.

Main Results:

  • The TAK cohort (n=125) had a mean age of 30.9 years, while the GCA cohort (n=120) had a mean age of 67.8 years.
  • Time to diagnosis was significantly longer in TAK (3.2 years) than GCA (0.5 years).
  • Aortic aneurysms were more frequent in GCA (100%) compared to TAK (19%), whereas stenotic/occlusive lesions were predominant in TAK (81%) versus GCA (0%).

Conclusions:

  • GCA with UE involvement and TAK exhibit distinct clinical and imaging profiles.
  • Aortic aneurysms are more characteristic of GCA, while stenotic changes are more indicative of TAK.
  • These differences suggest potentially divergent pathophysiologic mechanisms or vascular responses to injury.
Abstract

Keywords:
Clinical characteristicsGiant cell arteritisImagingTakayasu arteritis

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