Short summary

The main objective of this project is to explore the diagnostic accuracy of US examination of supraaortic arteries in the GCA diagnosis.

Rationale

Background:

Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) is the most common systemic vasculitis and the incidence is higher in Scandinavian populations. A positive temporal artery biopsy (TAB) is considered as the diagnostic gold standard; nonetheless, up to 44% of TAB-negative patients are clinically diagnosed to have GCA. Vascular ultrasound (US) can be used as a diagnostic tool in GCA but to date there are not made multicenter studies using standardized machine settings/operator education and high resolution machines.

Main objective: 

To explore the diagnostic accuracy of US examination of supraaortic arteries in the GCA diagnosis.

Methods: 

Patients suspected for GCA will be US evaluated in 3 Danish centers by 5 rheumatologists trained by the same program, using high resolution US machines with equal settings. All patients will undergo a TAB, right after the US examination.

Six months after study inclusion the final diagnosis will be made by a rheumatologist blinded to US data. All US images will be evaluated by an expert blinded to all patient data.

Description of the cohort

This is a multicenter, prospective, non-interventional observational study. Patients suspected to have GCA will be included in 3 Danish Centers with a follow-up visit after 6 months for confirmation of the diagnosis.

Data and biological material

There will be collected, clinical and para-clinical data at baseline and 6 months later. 

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of Rheumatology, Hospital of Southwest Denmark, Esbjerg

• Consultant Stavros Chrysidis, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, Diagnostic Centre Region Hospital Silkeborg

• Consultant Ulrich Fredberg, MD

Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, , Rigshospitalet - Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup

• Consultant Uffe Møller Døhn, MD, PhD

Copenhagen Center for Arthritis Research (COPECARE)

Diagnostic Centre, Region Hospital Silkeborg

• Consultant Tove Lorenzen, MD

Copenhagen University Hospital Glostrup, Copenhagen, Denmark

• Lene Terslev, MD, PhD

Department of Otolaryngology, Southwest hospital, Esbjerg, Denmark

• Consultant Knud Larsen, MD

Department of Rheumatology, Haugesund Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Haugesund, Norway

• Consultant Andreas P. Diamantopoulos, MD, PhD