Diagnosis, Treatment, and Follow-Up of Giant-Cell Arteritis: A Retrospective Multicenter Study

Background and Purpose Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common type of vasculitis in the elderly and is associated with high risks of visual loss and recurrence. Owing to its rarity in Asian populations, the current clinical interventions for these patients are not well known. Here we aimed to characterize the current management status of patients with GCA using Korean multicenter data. Methods This retrospective study analyzed medical records of patients with GCA at six Korean university hospitals from February 2009 to November 2022. GCA had originally been diagnosed based on the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria, and cases were selected for inclusion in this study based on the 2022 ACR/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology criteria. We evaluated treatments, follow-up periods, and outcomes (relapse, remission, and adverse drug reactions) in patients with GCA with or without arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AAION). Results This study analyzed 18 patients with a median age of 75.5 years that included 12 females (66.7%). Seven patients (38.8%) had AAION. All patients initially received prednisolone treatment, while four (22.2%) underwent adjuvant treatment with methotrexate and azathioprine during prednisolone tapering. During the median follow-up of 3.5 months (interquartile range: 2.0-23.2 months), 4 patients (22.2%) had prednisolone-related adverse reactions, 2 (11.1%) relapsed, and 13 (72.3%) dropped out. Nine patients (50.0%) experienced remission, with this being sustained in four (36.4%). Conclusions This study observed high dropout rates and short follow-ups. Adverse effects of prednisolone were common, and relapses occurred in approximately one-tenth of Korean patients with GCA. Thus, optimizing GCA treatment necessitates regular monitoring and longterm follow-up.