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Five-year prospective multi-center cohort study of patients with giant cell arteritis in Greece
Christina Tsalapaki1,2, Eleni Nikitopoulou1,2, Kyriaki A Boki3
1Joint Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
Insights
Giant cell arteritis (GCA), a common vasculitis in older adults, poses health risks due to treatments and other conditions. This study tracks GCA patients in Greece to understand their current health, treatment outcomes, and survival rates.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Internal Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most prevalent systemic vasculitis in elderly populations.
- Long-term corticosteroid therapy and comorbidities contribute to significant GCA-related morbidity.
- Limited data exist on GCA's current treatment, comorbidities, and outcomes in Greece.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the current clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and treatment modalities for GCA in Greece.
- To assess the relapse rates, adverse events, morbidity, and mortality associated with GCA management.
- To provide a comprehensive overview of GCA patient outcomes in the Greek population.
Main Methods:
- A multi-center, prospective study initiated in late 2015.
- Inclusion of newly diagnosed, established, and relapsing GCA patients meeting the 1990 ACR criteria.
- Ongoing data collection on demographics, clinical features, treatments, relapses, adverse events, comorbidities, hospitalizations, and mortality.
Main Results:
- Data collection is ongoing, focusing on initial patient characteristics and treatments.
- Subsequent study phases will reevaluate patients at 2 and 5 years post-initial assessment.
- Anticipated to yield comprehensive data on GCA patient management and outcomes.
Conclusions:
- The study is expected to offer crucial insights into the real-world management and long-term prognosis of GCA in Greece.
- Findings will inform clinical practice and public health strategies for GCA.
- This research addresses a critical gap in understanding GCA epidemiology and outcomes in the region.
Abstract:
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common systemic vasculitis in the aged population associated with significant morbidity due to the long term administration of corticosteroids and the presence of various comorbidities. Data regarding its current treatment modalities, comorbidities, morbidity and mortality in Greece are limited. In this multi-center, prospective study that begun at the end of 2015 patients with newly diagnosed GCA according to the modified 1990 ACR criteria, as well as individuals with established or relapsing disease have been included. During the 1st phase of the study that is still ongoing, data are being collected concerning demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients, treatment at the onset of the disease and at relapses, relapses, adverse events of therapy, comorbidities, hospitalizations and deaths. During the 2nd and 3rd phase of the study patients will be reevaluated 2 and 5 years after their 1st evaluation. The study is expected to provide valuable data regarding the current clinical characteristics, comorbidities, therapeutic regimens used, relapse rate, morbidity and mortality of patients with GCA.
