Analysis of Emergency Department Visits by Patients With Giant Cell Arteritis: A National Population-Based Study

Background There is scarcity of national level data on the reasons for Emergency Department (ED) presentation among patients with Giant cell arteritis (GCA) in the United States. This study aims to outline the most common reasons for ED presentation among these patients, and the baseline characteristics and outcomes of ED visits principally for GCA.  Materials and methods We obtained data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) 2018 database. Each ED visit in the NEDS has a principal diagnosis (the main reason for the visit) and can have up to 34 other secondary diagnoses. We searched for ED visits for patients aged ≥50 with any diagnosis of GCA using ICD-10 codes. The most common principal discharge diagnoses were divided into organ systems, and specific principal discharge diagnoses were recorded for ED visits among patients with GCA in descending order of frequency. We then outlined baseline characteristics and outcomes of ED visits with a principal diagnosis of GCA. Results There were 20,886 ED visits for patients with GCA in 2018. Infections, as well as rheumatologic and cardiovascular disease were the most common reasons for ED presentation, and GCA was the most common specific principal discharge diagnosis for ED visits. There were 3888 ED visits with a principal diagnosis of GCA. These patients were predominantly elderly females, admitted, Medicare insured, with minimal comorbidity burden, and presented to metropolitan teaching hospitals in the south. Conclusion GCA patients are most likely to present to the ED due to their underlying GCA. Infections and CV are also common reasons for presentation to the ED.