impact factor, citescore
logo
In press
In Press
Recent issue
Recent issue
Recent Supplement
Recent supplement
archives
Archives
articles free
Free to view
Search
Search
 

Full Papers

 

Glucocorticoid usage in giant cell arteritis over six decades (1950 to 2009)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

 

  1. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.
  2. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester; and Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
  3. Division of Rheumatology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
  4. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.
  5. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; and Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.
  6. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine; and Division of Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.

CER8098
2015 Vol.33, N°2 ,Suppl.89
PI 0098, PF 0102
Full Papers

Free to view
(click on article PDF icon to read the article)

PMID: 26016757 [PubMed]

Received: 08/11/2014
Accepted : 06/03/2015
In Press: 26/05/2015
Published: 26/05/2015

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the trends in glucocorticoid (GC) therapy in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).
METHODS:
Using a population-based inception cohort, GC therapy details were collected for all patients with GCA diagnosed between 1950-2009. GC usage for patients diagnosed with GCA between 1980-2009 was compared to those diagnosed between 1950-1979.
RESULTS:
The mean starting dose was similar in both time-periods but the mean cumulative dosages at different time points were significantly higher for patients diagnosed between 1980-2009 than in 1950-1979 (at 1-year: 6.3 vs. 4.1g; and at 5 years 10.7 vs. 7.6g, respectively, p<0.001). The median time to permanent discontinuation of GC was 2.6 years for 1980-2009 vs. 1.5 years for 1950-1979 (p=0.004). The risk for GC-associated adverse events was similar in both time periods (p=0.52).
CONCLUSIONS:
GCA patients diagnosed in the last three decades were treated with higher cumulative GC doses and were less likely to achieve GC discontinuation. However, their risks for GC-related complications were not significantly higher than their earlier counterparts.

Rheumatology Article