The Set Up and the Triggers: An Update on the Risk Factors for Giant Cell Arteritis

Overview

Journal Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep

Specialty Neurology

Date 2024 Dec 14

PMID 39673667

Authors

Mary Labowsky

Ben Harnke

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose Of Review: To describe recent research relevant to factors which predispose to giant cell arteritis (GCA) and those which trigger its manifestation, with particular emphasis on the more recent and controversial associations (COVID-19, vaccination, novel medications) which have changed the medical landscape and perhaps GCA prevalence.

Recent Findings: GCA remains more prevalent in Caucasians but nevertheless affects other racial groups. Certain HLA haplotypes (i.e. DRB1*04) incurs risk of GCA. Polymyalgia rheumatica remains a strong association, and recent evidence also associates GCA with hematologic malignancy. COVID-19 infection may trigger GCA, in addition to vaccination (particularly the COVID-19 vaccine) and reactivated VZV infection, though the latter may be related to a common trigger. PD1-inhibitors may be associated with GCA. Previously establish patterns in geography and latitude are supported. A seasonal pattern of GCA in the summer/spring months is suggested but not proven. Controversy regarding GCA risk factors exists, as well as to whether the overall prevalence of GCA is rising. Given the growing aging population, the total number of cases of GCA will certainly increase, a challenge to which that our healthcare system must continue to rise to meet.

References

Gonzalez-Gay M, Prieto-Pena D, Castaneda S . The role of PET/CT in the evaluation of patients with large-vessel vasculitis: useful for diagnosis but with potential limitations for follow-up. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022; 61(12):4587-4589. DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac251. View

Gruener A, Poostchi A, Carey A, Eberhart C, Henderson A, Chang J . Association of Giant Cell Arteritis With Race. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2019; 137(10):1175-1179. PMC: 6692689. DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2019.2919. View

Nowell W, Barnes E, Venkatachalam S, Kappelman M, Curtis J, Merkel P . Racial and Ethnic Distribution of Rheumatic Diseases in Health Systems of the National Patient-Centered Clinical Research Network. J Rheumatol. 2023; 50(11):1503-1508. DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.2022-1300. View

Sun E, Li X, Gruener A, Chang J, Henderson A, Carey A . Baseline Characteristics and Clinical Presentation of Biopsy-Proven Giant Cell Arteritis in White Compared with Black Patients. J Neuroophthalmol. 2023; 43(4):504-508. DOI: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000001817. View

Idowu A, Khandwala P, Tan I . Race and Gender on the Mortality of Giant Cell Arteritis in Hospitalized Patients: A 15-Year National Inpatient Study. Cureus. 2023; 15(9):e46165. PMC: 10613314. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46165. View

Konda N, Sakai R, Saeki K, Matsubara Y, Nakamura Y, Miyamae T . Nationwide clinical and epidemiological study of large-vessel vasculitis in Japan in 2017. Mod Rheumatol. 2023; 34(1):167-174. DOI: 10.1093/mr/road019. View

Dantzig P, Quincey V, Kurz J, Ming C, Kamalaksha S, White D . Epidemiology of giant cell arteritis in Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand. N Z Med J. 2024; 137(1592):14-21. DOI: 10.26635/6965.6379. View

Artal N, Rodriguez M, Luna J, Reviglio V, Cuello O, Muin J . Giant cell arteritis in a Hispanic population. Ophthalmology. 2002; 109(10):1757; discussion 1757. DOI: 10.1016/s0161-6420(02)01195-8. View

Guerra A, Magraner M, Serrano L, Bredy R . Temporal arteritis in Puerto Rico Hispanics. Bol Asoc Med P R. 2009; 98(4):304-11. View

10.

Lam B, Wirthlin R, Gonzalez A, Dubovy S, Feuer W . Giant cell arteritis among Hispanic Americans. Am J Ophthalmol. 2006; 143(1):161-3. PMC: 4421895. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2006.07.048. View

11.

Alba M, Mena-Madrazo J, Reyes E, Flores-Suarez L . Giant cell arteritis in Mexican patients. J Clin Rheumatol. 2011; 18(1):1-7. DOI: 10.1097/RHU.0b013e31823e2e35. View

12.

Weyand C, Goronzy J . Immunology of Giant Cell Arteritis. Circ Res. 2023; 132(2):238-250. PMC: 9870348. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.122.322128. View

13.

Liozon E, Filloux M, Parreau S, Gondran G, Bezanahary H, Ly K . Immune-Mediated Diseases Following COVID-19 Vaccination: Report of a Teaching Hospital-Based Case-Series. J Clin Med. 2022; 11(24). PMC: 9785620. DOI: 10.3390/jcm11247484. View

14.

Liozon E, Parreau S, Filloux M, Dumonteil S, Gondran G, Bezanahary H . Giant cell arteritis or polymyalgia rheumatica after influenza vaccination: A study of 12 patients and a literature review. Autoimmun Rev. 2020; 20(2):102732. DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2020.102732. View

15.

Kushimoto K, Ayano M, Nishimura K, Nakano M, Kimoto Y, Mitoma H . HLA-B52 allele in giant cell arteritis may indicate diffuse large-vessel vasculitis formation: a retrospective study. Arthritis Res Ther. 2021; 23(1):238. PMC: 8436550. DOI: 10.1186/s13075-021-02618-4. View

16.

Lee Y, Song G . The Association Between the C1858T Variant and Vasculitis: A Meta-analysis Update with Trial Sequential Analysis. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2022; 26(10):492-500. DOI: 10.1089/gtmb.2022.0119. View

17.

Prieto-Pena D, Remuzgo-Martinez S, Genre F, Ocejo-Vinyals J, Atienza-Mateo B, Munoz-Jimenez A . Vascular endothelial growth factor haplotypes are associated with severe ischaemic complications in giant cell arteritis regardless of the disease phenotype. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2022; 40(4):727-733. DOI: 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/8mku9c. View

18.

Prieto-Pena D, Genre F, Pulito-Cueto V, Ocejo-Vinyals J, Atienza-Mateo B, Munoz Jimenez A . Cranial and extracranial large-vessel giant cell arteritis share a genetic pattern of interferon-gamma pathway. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2022; 41(4):864-869. DOI: 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/3cqh12. View

19.

Nielsen A, Frolund L, Vaben C, Bonde A, Gormsen L, de Thurah A . Concurrent baseline diagnosis of giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2022; 56:152069. DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2022.152069. View

20.

Burg L, Karakostas P, Behning C, Brossart P, Kermani T, Schafer V . Prevalence and characteristics of giant cell arteritis in patients with newly diagnosed polymyalgia rheumatica - a prospective cohort study. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2023; 15:1759720X221149963. PMC: 9909075. DOI: 10.1177/1759720X221149963. View