A new prediction model for giant cell arteritis in patients with new onset headache and/or visual loss.
Walid MoudrousLeo H VisserTansel YilmazMarjan H WieringaTim AllemanJörgen RoversMark P W A HoubenPaula M JanssenJohan J B JanssenPieter L RensmaGeert J F BrekelmansPublished in: Annals of medicine (2022)
In patients > 50 years presenting with new onset headache or visual loss with 3 or more of the above mentioned risk factors, a biopsy of the temporal artery is not needed to confirm the diagnosis GCA.KEY MESSAGESIn our study biopsy of the temporal artery was positive in 30% of the patients with possible GCAWeight loss, bilateral headache, a positive halo sign on duplex and thrombocytosis are predictors for GCAThe halo sign had a high sensitivity but a low specificity for a biopsy proven GCA.