Infections Are Associated With Increased Risk of Giant Cell Arteritis: A Population-based Case-control Study from Southern Sweden

Influenza A infection as a potential trigger of giant cell arteritis: A case report

Presenting as a large vessel vasculitis, giant cell arteritis (GCA) manifests with various symptoms, including fever, myalgias, headache, and jaw claudication. Although the precise pathogenesis of GCA remains incompletely elucidated, there is speculation about the involvement of environmental factors and infectious agents like bacteria and viruses in its development. Nevertheless, data on the potential link between influenza infection and GCA are limited. In this report, we present the case of an 88-year-old patient diagnosed with GCA following a severe influenza A infection.

The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with spondyloarthritis compared to the general population in the southernmost region of Sweden: a case-control study

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) has been associated with comorbidities, e.g., cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about the relation between SpA and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the study was to compare the prevalence of COPD in SpA to the general population. Patients with prevalent SpA in Skåne, Sweden, on December 31, 2018, were identified based on diagnostic codes in a regional register on primary care, secondary outpatient care and inpatient care. Population-based controls (5 per SpA case) were matched for age, sex and municipality. The base case definition for COPD required at least two prior visits with a registered COPD diagnosis. Stricter definitions included dispensed prescriptions for COPD and a COPD diagnosis made by a specialist in lung medicine. The prevalence of COPD in patients with SpA and controls, overall and stratified by sex and age, and the corresponding prevalence ratios, were estimated. A total of 3571 patients with SpA (51% male, mean age 53 years) were compared to 17,855 matched controls. The prevalence of COPD in patients with SpA was 37.8/1000, with a prevalence ratio compared to controls of 1.03 (95% CI 0.85-1.24). There were no significant differences in COPD prevalence between patients with SpA and controls in men or women, in any of the age groups, or in analyses using stricter definitions of COPD. In this regional study including data from primary care, the prevalence of COPD was not increased in patients with SpA compared to the background population.

Giant Cell Arteritis after COVID-19 Vaccination with Long-Term Follow-Up: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a chronic vasculitis that primarily affects the elderly, and can cause visual impairment, requiring prompt diagnosis and treatment. The global impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been substantial. Although vaccination programs have been a key defense strategy, concerns have arisen regarding post-vaccination immune-mediated disorders and related risks. We present a case of GCA after COVID-19 vaccination with 2 years of follow-up. A 69-year-old woman experienced fever, headaches, and local muscle pain two days after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Elevated inflammatory markers were observed, and positron emission tomography (PET) revealed abnormal uptake in the major arteries, including the aorta and subclavian and iliac arteries. Temporal artery biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of GCA. Treatment consisted of pulse therapy with methylprednisolone, followed by prednisolone (PSL) and tocilizumab. Immediately after the initiation of treatment, the fever and headaches disappeared, and the inflammation markers normalized. The PSL dosage was gradually reduced, and one year later, a PET scan showed that the inflammation had resolved. After two years, the PSL dosage was reduced to 3 mg. Fourteen reported cases of GCA after COVID-19 vaccination was reviewed to reveal a diverse clinical picture and treatment response. The time from onset of symptoms to GCA diagnosis varied from two weeks to four months, highlighting the challenge of early detection. The effectiveness of treatment varied, but was generally effective similarly to that of conventional GCA. This report emphasizes the need for clinical vigilance and encourages further data collection in post-vaccination GCA cases.

Association between infection and the onset of giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to analyse the association between infections and the subsequent risk of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and/or polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) by a systematic review and a meta-analysis of observational studies.

METHODS

Two databases (Medline and Embase) were systematically reviewed. Epidemiological studies studying the association between any prior infection and the onset of GCA/PMR were eligible. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. Outcomes and pooled statistics were reported as OR and their 95% CI.

RESULTS

Eleven studies (10 case-control studies and one cohort study) were analysed, seven of them were included in the meta-analysis. Eight were at low risk of bias. A positive and significant association was found between prior overall infections and prior Herpes Zoster (HZ) infections with pooled OR (95% CI) of 1.27 (1.18 to 1.37) and 1.20 (1.08 to 1.21), respectively. When analysed separately, hospital-treated and community-treated infections, were still significantly associated with the risk of GCA, but only when infections occurring within the year prior to diagnosis were considered (pooled OR (95% CI) 1.92 (1.67 to 2.21); 1.67 (1.54 to 1.82), respectively). This association was no longer found when infections occurring within the year prior to diagnosis were excluded.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed a positive association between the risk of GCA and prior overall infections (occurring in the year before), and prior HZ infections. Infections might be the reflect of an altered immunity of GCA patients or trigger the disease. However, reverse causation cannot be excluded.CRD42023404089.

Incidence of giant cell arteritis is associated with COVID-19 prevalence: A population-level retrospective study

Background

Following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was observed that giant cell arteritis (GCA) diagnoses increased at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases (RNHRD) in Bath, UK. This finding may support the viral aetiology hypothesis of GCA. Better understanding of the causes of GCA may help improve diagnostic and treatment strategies leading to better outcomes for patients.

Objectives

The study aims to estimate the local incidence of GCA during the early COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) and compare it to pre-pandemic (2015-2019) data. This study will also evaluate the temporal relationship between COVID-19 infections and GCA diagnoses.

Methods

Annual incidence rates of GCA were calculated between 2015 and 2021. Local COVID-19 prevalence was estimated by measuring the number of hospital beds taken up by COVID-19 positive patients. Poisson statistics were used to compare the annual mean incidence of GCA between 2019 and 2020, and Granger causality tested the temporal relationship between COVID-19 prevalence and GCA incidence.

Results

There were 60 (95% confidence interval [CI] 46-77) GCA diagnoses made in 2020 compared to 28 (CI 19-41) in 2019 (P = 0.016). Peaks in the number of COVID-19 inpatients correlated with peaks in GCA diagnoses. Granger causality testing found a statistically significant association between these peaks with a lag period of 40-45 days.

Conclusion

The incidence of GCA in Bath was significantly increased in 2020 and 2021 compared to 2015-2019. The lag period between peaks was 40-45 days, suggesting that the COVID-19 virus may be a precipitating factor for GCA. More work is currently underway to interrogate the causal relationship between these two diseases.

Classification and epidemiology of vasculitis: Emerging concepts

The recent publication of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)-European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) classification criteria for large vessel vasculitis and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAVs) has provided modern criteria for the classification of these conditions, which incorporate contemporary methods of investigation and diagnosis. Further validation is required in independent cohorts, especially from populations that were not well represented in the development cohort. Studies of the occurrence of large vessel vasculitis report that Takayasu arteritis is a rare disease in most populations, and giant cell arteritis is the most common vasculitis in older populations. The incidence of AAV appears to have plateaued, but the prevalence is increasing as a result of lower mortality. The new classification criteria may affect the reported incidence and prevalence, and studies will be needed to confirm this. The impact of COVID-19 on the occurrence of the vasculitides is not completely known, but there is evidence of reduced occurrence of Kawasaki disease and IgA-associated vasculitis following lockdowns with reduced transmission of possible trigger infectious agents.

Pathogenesis of giant cell arteritis with focus on cellular populations

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), the most common non-infectious vasculitis, mainly affects elderly individuals. The disease usually affects the aorta and its main supra-aortic branches causing both general symptoms of inflammation and specific ischemic symptoms because of the limited blood flow due to arterial structural changes in the inflamed arteries. The pathogenesis of the GCA is complex and includes a dysregulated immune response that affects both the innate and the adaptive immunity. During the last two decades several studies have investigated interactions among antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes, which contribute to the formation of the inflammatory infiltrate in the affected arteries. Toll-like receptor signaling and interactions through the VEGF-Notch-Jagged1 pathway are emerging as crucial events of the aberrant inflammatory response, facilitating among others the migration of inflammatory cells to the inflamed arteries and their interactions with the local stromal milieu. The increased use of checkpoint inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy and their immune-related adverse events has fed interest in the role of checkpoint dysfunction in GCA, and recent studies suggest a dysregulated check point system which is unable to suppress the inflammation in the previously immune-privileged arteries, leading to vasculitis. The role of B-cells is currently reevaluated because of new reports of considerable numbers of plasma cells in inflamed arteries as well as the formation of artery tertiary lymphoid organs. There is emerging evidence on previously less studied cell populations, such as the neutrophils, CD8+ T-cells, T regulatory cells and tissue residing memory cells as well as for stromal cells which were previously considered as innocent bystanders. The aim of this review is to summarize the evidence in the literature regarding the cell populations involved in the pathogenesis of GCA and especially in the context of an aged, immune system.

Looking ahead: giant-cell arteritis in 10 years time

Although great improvements have been achieved in the fields of diagnosing and treating patients with giant-cell arteritis (GCA) in the last decades, several questions remain unanswered. The progressive increase in the number of older people, together with growing awareness of the disease and use of advanced diagnostic tools by healthcare professionals, foretells a possible increase in both prevalence and number of newly diagnosed patients with GCA in the coming years. A thorough clarification of pathogenetic mechanisms and a better definition of clinical subsets are the first steps toward a better understanding of the disease and, subsequently, toward a better use of existing and future therapeutic options. Examination of the role of different imaging techniques for GCA diagnosing and monitoring, optimization, and personalization of glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressive agents, further development and introduction of novel drugs, identification of prognostic factors for long-term outcomes and management of treatment discontinuation will be the central topics of the research agenda in years to come.

Giant Cell Arteritis: Updates and Controversies

Abstract

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic granulomatous vasculitis affecting the medium and large-size arteries, and may present with a range of ophthalmic findings. This review will cover GCA epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and treatment.

Epidemiology and Pathophysiology

GCA is commonly found in elderly patients and individuals of Scandinavian descent. Recent publications suggest it may be more common in African Americans and Hispanics than previously thought. It is very rare in Asian and Middle-Eastern populations, and there is little data regarding African populations. Genetic studies have identified increased risk associated with HLA-DRB1*04. Rather than a response to a specific antigen such as varicella zoster virus, current immunology research suggests that GCA results from changes associated with the aging immune system.

Clinical presentation to Ophthalmology

Arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy is the most common ophthalmic manifestation of GCA, but central or branch retinal artery occlusion, ophthalmic artery occlusion, cranial neuropathies causing diplopia, and more rarely anterior segment ischemia and anisocoria may also occur. Clinical testing including visual field testing, OCT, OCT-A, ICG and fluorescein angiography can be helpful in suggesting a diagnosis in addition to the clinical exam.

Diagnostic Workup

GCA is ultimately a clinical diagnosis, but it is usually supported with lab results, pathology, and/or imaging. Temporal artery biopsy (TAB) remains the gold standard diagnostic test although its sensitivity is debated and practice patterns still vary with respect to sample length and whether unilateral or simultaneous bilateral biopsies are performed. Some studies have reported higher sensitivity of ultrasounds over TAB, with added benefits of time efficiency and cost effectiveness, promoting the diagnostic use of ultrasounds. MRI and even PET CT protocols offer additional options for less invasive diagnostic testing.

Treatment

Vision-threatening GCA is treated acutely with emergent admission for intravenous methylprednisolone, and long-term high dose oral corticosteroids remain the standard of care, despite common and sometimes serious side effects. The use of steroid-sparing alternatives such as tocilizumab is becoming more common and additional agents are being investigated.

Infection is associated with increased risk of MPO- but not PR3-ANCA-associated vasculitis

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether development of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) shows a relationship with a prior infection and if prior infection affects disease characteristics and outcome.

METHODS

All incident cases of AAV diagnosed in a defined region of Sweden from 2000 through 2016 were identified. For each case, 10 individuals from the general population, matched for age, sex and area of residence, were selected. Infections occurring in AAV patients and controls prior to the date of AAV diagnosis (index date for respective controls) were identified using an administrative database. Conditional logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) of developing AAV. Occurrence, clinical characteristics and outcome of AAV were analysed with respect to prior infection.

RESULTS

Two-hundred and seventy patients with AAV (48% female) and 2687 controls were included. Prior to diagnosis/index date, 146 (54%) AAV patients had been diagnosed with infection vs 1282 (48%) controls, with OR for AAV 1.57 (95% CI 1.18, 2.19) in those with infections of the upper respiratory tract and 1.68 (1.02, 2.77) in those with pneumonia. Difference from controls was significant in patients with MPO-ANCA 1.99 (95% CI 1.25, 3.1) but not in those with PR3-ANCA 1.0 (0.61, 1.52). Patients with prior infection showed higher disease activity at AAV diagnosis. No differences in disease characteristics, comorbidities or outcome in those with and without prior infections were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Respiratory tract infections are positively associated with development of MPO- but not PR3-ANCA vasculitis. Prior infection is associated with higher disease activity at AAV diagnosis.

Global epidemiology of vasculitis

The many forms of vasculitis are characterized by inflammation of blood vessels, leading to potentially long-term sequelae including vision loss, aneurysm formation and kidney failure. Accurate estimation of the incidence and prevalence has been hampered by the absence of reliable diagnostic criteria and the rarity of these conditions; however, much progress has been made over the past two decades, although data are still lacking from many parts of the world including the Indian subcontinent, China, Africa and South America. Giant cell arteritis occurs in those aged 50 years and over and seems to mainly affect persons of northern European ancestry, whereas Takayasu arteritis occurs mainly in those aged under 40 years. By contrast, Kawasaki disease mainly occurs in children aged under 5 years and is most common in children of Asian ancestry, and IgA vasculitis occurs in children and adolescents. Although much less common than giant cell arteritis, the different forms of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis are being increasingly recognized in most populations and occur more frequently with increasing age. Behçet syndrome occurs most commonly along the ancient silk road between Europe and China. Much work needs to be done to better understand the influence of ethnicity, geographical location, environment and social factors on the development of vasculitis.

Epidemiology of biopsy-confirmed giant cell arteritis in southern Sweden - an update on incidence and first prevalence estimate

Objective

To characterize the epidemiology of temporal artery biopsy-positive (TAB+) GCA, including trends in incidence, seasonal variation and prevalence in Skåne, the southernmost region of Sweden.

Methods

All histopathology reports of TABs from 1997 through 2019 were reviewed to identify patients diagnosed with TAB+ GCA. Incidence rates based on the 23-year period and the point-prevalence at 31 December 2014 were determined. An alternative prevalence calculation included only TAB+ GCA patients living in the study area and receiving immunosuppressant therapy on the point-prevalence date.

Results

One thousand three hundred and sixty patients were diagnosed with TAB+ GCA (71% female). The average annual incidence 1997–2019 was 13.3 (95% CI: 12.6, 14.0) per 100 000 inhabitants aged ≥50 years and was higher in females (17.8; 95% CI: 16.7, 18.9) than in males (8.2; 95% CI: 7.4, 9.0). The age- and sex-standardized incidence declined from 17.3 in 1997 to 8.7 in 2019, with incidence ratio (IR) of 0.98 per year (95% CI: 0.98, 0.99). A seasonal variation was observed with higher incidence during spring than winter [IR = 1.19 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.39)]. The overall point-prevalence of TAB+ GCA was 127.1/100 000 (95% CI: 117, 137.3) and was 75.5 (95% CI: 67.7, 83.3) when including only patients receiving immunosuppressants.

Conclusion

Over the past 2 decades, the incidence of biopsy-confirmed GCA has decreased by ∼2% per year. Still, a high prevalence of GCA on current treatment was observed. More cases are diagnosed during spring and summer than in the winter.

Trajectory of Healthcare Resource Utilization in Giant Cell Arteritis: A Population-based Study

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the healthcare resource utilization (HRU) in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) compared with the general population in southern Sweden.

METHODS

The study sample comprised 653 patients with GCA along with 10 age-, sex-, and residency area-matched reference subjects per patient. Data on public and private healthcare consultations and hospitalizations were extracted from the Skåne Healthcare Register. We assessed trajectories of primary and specialist healthcare visits, as well as hospital admissions and inpatient days from 3 years before through 5 years after the date of GCA diagnosis for patients and matched references. HRU was analyzed using generalized estimating equations adjusted for sex, age at the index year, calendar year of diagnosis, education, income, marital status, place of birth, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. Inverse probability weighting was used to account for dropout during study.

RESULTS

Patients with GCA had higher rates of healthcare visits than the references from the year before GCA diagnosis and up to 4 years after diagnosis, with the largest relative (rate ratio 1.85, 95% CI 1.68-2.05) and absolute (mean difference 10.2, 95% CI 8.1-12.3 visits per person) differences in the year of diagnosis. Similar trajectories were observed for primary and specialist healthcare visits. For hospital admissions and inpatient days, the differences disappeared 1 year after diagnosis date.

CONCLUSION

Patients with GCA utilized healthcare services at a significantly higher rate than the reference population. The increased utilization among Swedish patients with GCA was evident 1 year before and prolonged up to 4 years after diagnosis date.

One Giant Step for Giant Cell Arteritis: Updates in Diagnosis and Treatment

Purpose of Review

Giant cell arteritis (GCA), a medium and large vessel vasculitis occurring in the aged, remains a formidable disease, capable of taking both vision and life, through a multitude of vascular complications. Our understanding of the spectrum of its manifestations has grown over the years, to include limb claudication, aortitis, and cardiac disease, in addition to the more classic visual complications resulting from of ischemia to branches of the external and internal carotid arteries. While a clinical presentation of headache, jaw claudication, scalp tenderness, fever and other systemic symptoms and serum markers are together highly suggestive of the disease, diagnosis can be challenging in those cases in which classic symptoms are lacking. The purpose of this review is to update the reader on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of giant cell arteritis and to review our evolving understanding of the immunological mechanism underlying the disease, which have helped guide our search for novel therapies.

Recent Findings

There is increasing evidence supporting the use of Doppler ultrasound, dedicated post-contrast T1-weighted spin echo MRI of the scalp arteries and PET scan, which can together improve our diagnostic accuracy in cases in which temporal artery biopsy is either inconclusive or not feasible. Advances in our understanding of the immunological cascades underlying the disease have helped guide our search for steroid-sparing treatments for the GCA, the most important of which has been the IL-6 receptor antibody inhibitor tocilizumab, which has been shown to reduce cumulative steroid dose in a large multicenter, placebo-controlled prospective study. Other biologic agents, such as abatacept and ustekinumab have shown promise in smaller studies.

Summary

GCA is no longer a disease whose diagnosis is based exclusively on temporal artery biopsy and whose complications are prevented solely with the use of corticosteroids. Modern vascular imaging techniques and targeted immunologic therapies are heralding a new era for the disease, in which practitioners will hopefully be able to diagnosis it with greater accuracy and treat it with less ischemic complications and iatrogenic side effects.