Table 1.
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of GCA patients and radiological features of DWI-MRI.
| GCA patients | Control cohort | |
|---|---|---|
| n = 35 | n = 35 | |
| Age (mean ± SD) | 76.2 ± 6.4 years | 75.7 ± 7.6 years |
| Female (n, %) | 26 (74.3%) | 26 (74.3%) |
| GCA symptoms | ||
| New localized headache (n, %) | 27 (77.1%) | |
| Scalp/STA tenderness (n, %) | 8 (22.9%) | |
| STA decreased pulsation (n, %) | 10 (28.6%) | |
| Mouth/jaw pain on mastication (n, %) | 14 (40.0%) | |
| Laboratory findings | ||
| History of ESR ≥ 50 mm/h (n, %) | 30 (85.7%) | |
| ESR (mm/h; mean ± SD) | 62.8 ± 15.5 | |
| C-reactive protein (mg/l; mean ± SD) | 77.6 ± 67.9 | |
| Hemoglobin (g/dl; mean ± SD) | 12.1 ± 1.3 | |
| Platelet count (/nl; mean ± SD) | 408.3 ± 96.7 | |
| WBC count (/nl; mean ± SD) | 10.6 ± 3.6 | |
| MRI parameters | ||
| Scans | n = 37 | n = 38 |
| Field strength | ||
| 1.5 T (n, %) | 17 (46.0%) | 21 (55.3%) |
| 3 T (n, %) | 20 (54.1%) | 17 (44.7%) |
| Slice thickness | ||
| 2.5 mm (n, %) | 10 (27.0%) | 11 (29.0%) |
| 3 mm (n, %) | 27 (73.0%) | 27 (71.1%) |
| Sequence type | ||
| DWI-EPI (n, %) | 30 (81.1%) | 29 (76.3%) |
| DTI (n, %) | 5 (13.5%) | 9 (23.7%) |
| RESOLVE (n, %) | 1 (2.7%) | – |
| RESOLVE DTI (n, %) | 1 (2.7%) | – |
| Acute brain infarction (n, %) | 6 (16.2%) | 7 (18.4%) |
DWI diffusion-weighted imaging, DTI diffusion tensor imaging, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, GCA giant cell arteritis, LVV large vessel vasculitis, MRI magnetic resonance imaging, STA superficial temporal artery, TAB temporal artery biopsy, US ultrasound, WBC white blood cell count.