Venous thrombosis in patients with giant cell arteritis: Features and outcomes in a cohort study

To describe the features and outcomes of patients with giant cell arteritis who developed venous thrombosis.

Inception cohort study including 428 newly diagnosed patients of giant cell arteritis from 1976 to 2014. Clinical and biological data and outcomes were analysed by comparing patients with and without venous thrombosis.

Twenty-six patients (6%) developed venous thrombosis, 12 of whom presented with pulmonary embolism. The mean time between the onset of giant cell arteritis symptoms and venous thrombosis occurrence was 248.8±215.0 days. No difference was observed between the two groups in clinical or laboratory data collected at diagnosis. The mean time from the start of prednisone to venous thrombosis diagnosis was 187.7±217.0 days. The average dose of prednisone at venous thrombosis onset was 21.5mg/day. The venous thrombosis group had a higher number of glucocorticoid-related adverse effects (mean, 3.1 vs 1.1; P<0.0001), a higher mortality rate (58% vs 33%, P=0.01) and a higher proportion of deaths occurring during glucocorticoid treatment (31% vs 14%, P=0.03). Death was related to venous thrombosis in four patients.

The occurrence of overt venous thrombosis is more than anecdotal among patients treated for giant cell arteritis. Venous thrombosis does not rely on the active phase of giant cell arteritis, but could be associated with long-term use of glucocorticoids. Because venous thrombosis may be associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with giant cell arteritis, a high index of suspicion should be applied in appropriate settings, especially in patients experiencing multiple glucocorticoid-related adverse effects.