Table 1.
Main clinical signs and symptoms at GCA fast-track clinic referral
| Total no. 354 (%) | LRC no. 151 (%) | IRC no. 137 (%) | HRC no. 66 (%) | P value | Not GCA no. 265 (%) | GCA no. 89 (%) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headache | ||||||||
| Generalised | 56 (15.8) | 31 (20.5) | 21 (15.3) | 4 (6.1) | 0.02 | 53 (20) | 3 (3.4) | 0.002 |
| Temporal, unilateral | 110 (31.1) | 41 (27.2) | 43 (31.4) | 26 (39.4) | 0.2 | 73 (27.5) | 37 (41.6) | 0.01 |
| Temporal, bilateral | 73 (20.6) | 20 (13.2) | 31 (22.6) | 22 (33.3) | 0.003 | 38 (14.3) | 35 (39.3) | <0.001 |
| Scalp tenderness | ||||||||
| Unilateral | 53 (15) | 14 (9.3) | 19 (13.9) | 20 (30.3) | 0.001 | 26 (9.8) | 27 (30.3) | <0.001 |
| Bilateral | 51 (14.4) | 11 (7.3) | 16 (11.7) | 22 (33.3) | <0.001 | 22 (8.3) | 29 (32.6) | <0.001 |
| Jaw claudication | 70 (19.8) | 11 (7.3) | 25 (18.2) | 34 (51.5) | <0.001 | 23 (8.7) | 47 (52.8) | <0.001 |
| PMR symptoms | 134 (37.9) | 38 (25.2) | 61 (44.5) | 35 (53) | <0.001 | 93 (35.1) | 41 (46.1) | 0.043 |
| Constitutional symptoms | ||||||||
| Single | 63 (17.8) | 18 (11.9) | 24 (17.5) | 21 (31.8) | 0.003 | 37 (14) | 26 (29.2) | 0.001 |
| Combination | 50 (14.1) | 6 (4) | 22 (16.1) | 23 (34.8) | <0.001 | 25 (9.4) | 26 (29.2) | <0.001 |
| Visual disturbances | ||||||||
| Blurred vision | 62 (17.5) | 19 (12.6) | 23 (16.8) | 20 (30.3) | 0.008 | 36 (13.6) | 26 (29.2) | 0.001 |
| Double vision | 17 (4.8) | 5 (3.3) | 7 (5.1) | 5 (7.6) | 0.352 | 9 (3.4) | 8 (9) | <0.001 |
| Amaurosis | 22 (6.2) | 4 (2.6) | 9 (6.6) | 9 (13.6) | 0.01 | 8 (3) | 14 (15.7) | <0.001 |
| Vision loss type | ||||||||
| AION | 16 (4.5) | 1 (0.7) | 5 (3.6) | 10 (15.1) | <0.001 | 2 (0.8) | 14 (15.7) | <0.001 |
| CRAO | 8 (2.3) | 1 (0.7) | 4 (2.9) | 3 (4.5) | 0.126 | 3 (1.1) | 5 (5.6) | 0.026 |
| AION+CRAO | 3 (0.8) | 0 | 2 (1.5) | 1 (1.5) | 0.308 | 0 | 3 (3.4) | 0.015 |
| Mean CRP level (mg/L) | 38 (±51) | 15 (±25) | 42 (±50) | 82 (±64) | <0.001 | 28 (±45) | 68 (±56) | <0.001 |
AION, anterior ischaemic optic neuritis; CRAO, central retinal artery occlusion; CRP, C reactive protein; GCA, giant cell arteritis; HRC, high-risk category; IRC, intermediate-risk category; LRC, low-risk category; PMR, polymyalgia rheumatica.