Changing Trends in Temporal Artery Biopsy Rates in Australia: A Nationwide Study Over 31 Years

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Vasculitis Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a common systemic vasculitis affecting older adults.
• It poses a significant risk of permanent visual loss due to arterial damage.
• Timely diagnosis of GCA is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze trends in temporal artery biopsy (TAB) procedures in Australia over 31 years.
• To identify changes in the incidence of TAB procedures using population-level data.

Main Methods:

• Utilized two Australian population datasets: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and Medicare Australia.
• Identified patients who underwent TAB between 1994 and 2024.
• Analyzed procedural trends and incidence rates using negative binomial regression.

Main Results:

• From 2000-2023 (AIHW data), 51,290 TABs were performed, showing an 85.5% increase and a 0.7% annual incidence rate increase.
• From 1994-2024 (Medicare data), 31,122 TABs were performed, with a 0.6% relative increase but a 0.8% annual incidence rate decrease.
• Demonstrated divergent procedural trajectories between the two datasets.

Conclusions:

• Nationwide analysis reveals differing trends in TAB procedures across Australian datasets over 31 years.
• While AIHW data indicates a slight increase in TAB incidence, Medicare data shows a decline.
• These divergent trends warrant further investigation into diagnostic practices and data collection methods for GCA.