Temporary artery biopsy in suspected temporal arteritis: a five year survey

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Vascular Surgery
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are common in older adults.
• Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is a diagnostic tool for GCA.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate treatment and preventing complications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and diagnostic utility of temporal artery biopsy.
• To assess the impact of TAB results on patient management.
• To identify clinical features associated with positive TAB results.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 75 patients aged 50+ undergoing TAB.
• Analysis of patient demographics, clinical presentation, and biopsy results.
• Correlation of biopsy findings with final diagnoses and treatment changes.

Main Results:

• TAB was performed without complications in all patients.
• 18.7% of biopsies were positive for giant cell arteritis.
• Jaw claudication and abnormal temporal artery findings were significantly more frequent in biopsy-positive patients.
• Negative biopsies led to corticosteroid dose adjustments in 25 patients.

Conclusions:

• Temporal artery biopsy is a safe and valuable procedure for diagnosing GCA in patients over 50.
• Biopsy results significantly influence corticosteroid management, allowing for de-escalation in negative cases.
• Clinical features like jaw claudication are important indicators for considering TAB.