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Current Rheumatology Reports
Published in: Current Rheumatology Reports 2/2015

01-02-2015 | Vasculitis (L Espinoza, Section Editor)

Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica: an Update

Authors: Miguel A. González-Gay, Trinitario Pina

Published in: Current Rheumatology Reports | Issue 2/2015

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Abstract

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) are two closely related diseases in people aged 50 years and older, which are more frequently observed in Western countries. Despite being common entities, concern still exists about the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and diagnosis of both entities. New imaging techniques, such as 18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography, have proved to be useful in detecting large-vessel involvement in GCA. Corticosteroids are the cornerstone of the therapy in GCA and PMR. Relapses are frequent in these conditions. Unlike methotrexate and tumor necrosis factor-α antagonists, anti-interleukin-6 receptor therapy appears to be useful in patients with GCA and PMR who are refractory to corticosteroids. This review summarizes recent studies on GCA and PMR.
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Muratore F, Pazzola G, Pipitone N, Boiardi L, Salvarani C. Large-vessel involvement in giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2014;32(3 Suppl 82):S106–S11. An extremely interesting and informative review article that highlights important points on the diagnosis and management of patients with large vessel involvement in the setting of GCA.PubMed
34.••
Muratore F, Kermani TA, Crowson CS, Green AB, Salvarani C, Matteson EL, et al. Large-vessel giant cell arteritis: a cohort study. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2014 Sep 5. pii: keu329. [Epub ahead of print] The clinical spectrum of patients with large vessel involvement in the setting of GCA is different from that found in patients presenting with typical cranial manifestations of GCA. Patients with large vessel involvement have less frequency of severe visual complication but they experience more relapses and have higher corticosteroid requirements than those presenting with classic cranial manifestations.
35.•
Talarico R, Boiardi L, Pipitone N, d'Ascanio A, Stagnaro C, Ferrari C, et al. Isolated aortitis versus giant cell arteritis: are they really two sides of the same coin? Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2014;32(3 Suppl 82):S55–8. An interesting study that confirms that the clinical spectrum of patients with isolated aortitis is different from that observed in those with cranial manifestations of GCA.
36.•
Salvarani C, Barozzi L, Boiardi L, Pipitone N, Bajocchi GL, Macchioni PL, et al. Lumbar interspinous bursitis in active polymyalgia rheumatica. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2013;31:526–31. Inflammation of lumbar bursae may be responsible for the low back pain reported by patients with PMR.
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Alba MA, García-Martínez A, Prieto-González S, Tavera-Bahillo I, Corbera-Bellalta M, Planas-Rigol E, et al. Relapses in patients with giant cell arteritis: prevalence, characteristics, and associated clinical findings in a longitudinally followed cohort of 106 patients. Medicine (Baltimore). 2014;93:194–201. Relapses are common in patients with GCA. They occur predominantly within the first 2 years of treatment. PMR symptoms are common with relapses but blindness is exceptional.
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Lee JH, Choi ST, Kim JS, Yoon BY, Kwok SK, Kim HS, et al. Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors for relapse in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Rheumatol Int. 2013;33:1475–80. As observed in GCA, relapses are also common in patients with PMR.
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Macchioni P, Boiardi L, Catanoso M, Pulsatelli L, Pipitone N, Meliconi R, et al. Tocilizumab for polymyalgia rheumatica: report of two cases and review of the literature. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2013;43:113–8. Tocilizumab has proved to be effective in some cases of PMR.
45.
Gonzalez-Gay MA, Lopez-Diaz MJ, Martinez-Lado L, Peña-Sagredo JL, Lopez-Agreda H, Miranda-Filloy JA, et al. Cancer in biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis. A population-based study. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2007;37:156–63.
46.
Kermani TA, Schäfer VS, Crowson CS, Hunder GG, Gabriel SE, Ytterberg SR, et al. Malignancy risk in patients with giant cell arteritis: a population-based cohort study. Arthritis Care Res. 2010;62(2):149–54.
47.•
Ungprasert P, Sanguankeo A, Upala S, Knight EL. Risk of malignancy in patients with giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2014 Jun 26. doi: 10.​1016/​j.​semarthrit.​2014.​06.​004. Overall, the risk of malignancy in GCA and PMR is not higher than in the general population.
48.
Gonzalez-Gay MA, Vazquez-Rodriguez TR, Gomez-Acebo I, Pego-Reigosa R, Lopez-Diaz MJ, Vazquez-Triñanes MC, et al. Strokes at time of disease diagnosis in a series of 287 patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2009;88:227–35.
49.•
Tomasson G, Peloquin C, Mohammad A, Love TJ, Zhang Y, Choi HK, et al. Risk for cardiovascular disease early and late after a diagnosis of giant-cell arteritis: a cohort study. Ann Intern Med. 2014;160:73–80. Unlike previous studies, a recent report suggests that cardiovascular disease may be increased in GCA.
50.•
Schmidt J, Kermani TA, Muratore F, Crowson CS, Matteson EL, Warrington KJ. Statin use in giant cell arteritis: a retrospective study. J Rheumatol. 2013;40:910–5. The use of statins may reduce the risk of GCA.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
Metadata
Title
Giant Cell Arteritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica: an Update
Authors
Miguel A. González-Gay
Trinitario Pina
Publication date
01-02-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Rheumatology Reports / Issue 2/2015
Print ISSN: 1523-3774
Electronic ISSN: 1534-6307
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-014-0480-1

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