Table 4.
Characteristics at first relapse among patients with biopsy-proven GCA who experienced differing relapse rates
| Characteristic | <0.5 relapses/year (n = 130) | ≥0.5 relapses/year (n = 83) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relapse type, n (%) | |||
| Only lab changes | 27 (20.8) | 32 (38.6) | 0.005 |
| Labs and positive symptoms | 72 (55.4) | 34 (41) | |
| Relapse symptoms, n (%) | |||
| Headache | 37 (28.5) | 17 (20.5) | 0.19 |
| Jaw claudication | 6 (4.6) | 4 (4.8) | 0.94 |
| PMR | 28 (21.5) | 12 (14.5) | 0.20 |
| Scalp tenderness | 12 (9.2) | 5 (6) | 0.40 |
| Fatigue | 28 (21.5) | 12 (14.5) | 0.20 |
| Laboratory, median (IQR) | |||
| ESR, mm/h | 32.0 (14.0–46.0) | 28.0 (17.0–39.0) | 0.56 |
| CRP, mg/l | 15.6 (6.1–31.0) | 14.0 (9.0–24.0) | 0.57 |
IQR: interquartile range.