Table 1 Baseline characteristics

Total N

N = 186

Female

116 (62%)

Age at diagnosis

71.0 (63.0; 77.0)

Weight [kg]

70.0 (59.0; 83.4)

BMI [kg/m²]

24.9 (22.0; 28.4)

CRP (mg/L)

50.0 (20.0; 99.0)

ESR (mm/h)

70.0 (40.0; 86.3)

ACR Criteria 1990

109 (59%)

Cranial symptoms (including visual symptoms)

124 (67%)

Visual symptoms

70 (38%)

Vision loss

21 (11%)

Headache

93 (50%)

Jaw claudication

48 (26%)

Scalp tenderness

42 (23%)

Claudication of tongue

2 (1%)

Fever ≥ 38 °C

35 (19%)

Weight loss > 2 kg within 4 weeks

50 (27%)

Night sweat

33 (18%)

Polymyalgia rheumatica

90 (48%)

Biopsy of the temporal artery performed/positive*

135 (73%)/73 (54%)

MR angiography of aorta performed/positive*

170 (91%)/123 (72%)

MR angiography of extracranial arties performed/positive*

132 (71%)/63 (48%)

PET imaging performed/positive*

20 (11%)/12 (60%)

Duplex ultrasound of extracranial arteries performed/positive*

43 (23%)/18 (42%)