TY  - JOUR
TI  - Comparison of cranial and extra-cranial involvement of patients with giant cell arteritis
AB  - Objective: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a chronic granulomatous inflammation of medium and large sized arteries; it is also known as temporal arteritis. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical, laboratory and radiological findings of the patients diagnosed with GCA and to compare cranial, extra-cranial (ECI) and either involvement patterns. Methods: The study was designed as cross-sectional. The demographic and clinical data, laboratory results, imaging and biopsy findings were documented. The patients were divided into three groups according to the involved regions. Results: Twenty-four patients with GCA were evaluated. When patients were divided into three groups as cranial (CI), ECI and both cranial and extra-cranial (CECI) involvement; vision loss, jaw claudication, scalp tenderness, temporal artery stiffness, tenderness and pulselessness were common in patients with CI. Weight loss was significantly higher in patients with ECI than in patients with CI. Positron emission tomography (PET) was performed in 50% of GCA patients; vasculitic involvement was found in all of the 5 patients with ECI and CECI, whereas it was not observed in 7 patients with CI. Conclusion: GCA is a vasculitis that is among the large vessel vasculitides, but until recently, its CI findings were better defined than its systemic involvement. With the widespread use of modern imaging techniques, ECI involvement accompanying CI involvement and isolated ECI involvement has been better defined. Constitutional symptoms and positive PET findings were more prominent in patients with ECI, which is thought to be related to systemic disease pattern.
AU  - Yazici, Ayten
AU  - Cefle, Ayse
AU  - Özdemir Işık, Özlem
AU  - Komac, Andac
DO  - 10.4274/raed.galenos.2022.47966
PY  - 2022
JO  - Ulusal Romatoloji Dergisi
VL  - 14
IS  - 2
SN  - 2651-2653
SP  - 74
EP  - 80
DB  - TRDizin
UR  - http://search/yayin/detay/1122033
ER  -