Table 1 Comparison of baseline characteristics according to GCA-related CIE

Age at diagnosis (years)

271

72 ± 9

72 ± 9

70 ± 9

0.3

Follow-up (months)

271

48 (21–81)

50 (22–84)

24 (9–31)

0.02

Vascular risk factors

271

207 (76.4%)

197 (76.6%)

10 (71.4%)

NS

 Male

271

89 (33%)

81 (32%)

8 (57%)

0.075

 Hypertension

271

151 (56%)

145 (56%)

6 (43%)

0.3

 Diabetes

271

54 (20%)

51 (20%)

3 (21%)

 > 0.9

 Dyslipidemia

271

99 (37%)

94 (37%)

5 (36%)

 > 0.9

 Smoking

267

83 (31%)

76 (30%)

7 (54%)

0.12

 BMI (kg/m²)

147

24.8 (22.1–28.4)

24.9 (22.3–28.6)

22.5 (18.0–24.1)

0.02

Vascular history

 Coronary heart disease

271

11 (4.1%)

11 (4.3%)

0 (0%)

 > 0.9

 Stroke history

271

24 (8.9%)

23 (8.9%)

1 (7.1%)

 > 0.9

 Peripheral artery disease

271

20 (7.4%)

19 (7.4%)

1 (7.1%)

 > 0.9

Atrial fibrillation

271

35 (13%)

33 (13%)

2 (14%)

0.7

Positive temporal artery biopsy

248

137 (55%)

129 (55%)

8 (57%)

0.9

Clinical features

 Constitutional symptoms

263

150 (57%)

141 (56%)

9 (69%)

0.4

 Fever

263

53 (20%)

51 (20%)

2 (15%)

 > 0.9

 Headache

264

188 (71%)

181 (72%)

7 (54%)

0.2

 Jaw claudication

263

104 (40%)

98 (39%)

6 (46%)

0.6

 Scalp tenderness

262

99 (38%)

97 (39%)

2 (15%)

0.087

 Limb claudication

262

27 (10%)

27 (11%)

0 (0%)

0.4

 Non palpable temporal pulse

262

46 (18%)

44 (18%)

2 (15%)

 > 0.9

 Polymyalgia rheumatica

270

93 (34%)

89 (35%)

4 (29%)

0.8

Ischemic complications

 Cerebrovascular ischemic events

  Time from diagnosis to GCA related first CIE (days)

14

 − 5 (− 22–0)

-

 − 5 (− 22–0)

-

  GCA-related recurrent CIE

14

2 (0.7%)

-

2 (14%)

-

 Visual involvement

271

77 (28%)

76 (30%)

1 (7.1%)

0.12

  AAION

271

41 (15%)

40 (16%)

1 (7.1%)

0.7

  Other visual involvement

271

38 (14%)

38 (15%)

0 (0%)

0.2

 Aortic involvement

271

9 (3.3%)

8 (3.1%)

1 (7.1%)

0.4

Biological parameters

 CRP (mg/l)

251

70 (35–120)

70 (35–120)

44 (24–98)

0.5

 Hemoglobin level (g/dl)

169

11.70 (10.60–12.80)

11.65 (10.60–12.80)

12.10 (10.90–13.70)

0.5

Imagery

 Doppler US

  Temporal artery involvement

250

74 (30%)

70 (29%)

4 (33%)

0.8

  Carotid artery involvement

251

43 (17%)

41 (17%)

2 (17%)

 > 0.9

  Vertebral artery involvement (hypoechogenic thickening)

250

6 (2.4%)

5 (2.1%)

1 (8.3%)

0.3

  Thrombosis of vertebral artery

251

4 (1.6%)

2 (0.8%)

2 (17%)

0.012

  Subclavian artery involvement

251

37 (15%)

35 (15%)

2 (17%)

0.7

  Axillary artery involvement

251

43 (17%)

43 (18%)

0 (0%)

0.2

 PET/CT

  PET/CT delay from diagnosis (days)

171

1 (− 7–20)

2 (− 7–24)

0 (− 9–0)

0.14

  Temporal artery involvement

171

8 (4.7%)

8 (5.0%)

0 (0%)

 > 0.9

  Carotid artery involvement

171

55 (32%)

51 (32%)

4 (36%)

0.7

  Vertebral artery involvement

171

38 (22%)

35 (22%)

3 (27%)

0.7

  Subclavian artery involvement

171

85 (50%)

78 (49%)

7 (64%)

0.4

  Axillary artery involvement

171

38 (22%)

32 (20%)

6 (55%)

0.016

  Femoral artery involvement

171

39 (23%)

37 (23%)

2 (18%)

 > 0.9

  Aortitis

171

92 (54%)

86 (54%)

6 (55%)

 > 0.9

  Polymyalgia rheumatica

171

36 (21%)

35 (22%)

1 (9.1%)

0.5

 CTA/MRA

  CTA/MRA carotid artery involvement

193

31 (16%)

26 (15%)

5 (36%)

0.053

  CTA/MRA vertebral artery involvement

193

13 (6.7%)

6 (3.4%)

7 (50%)

 < 0.001

  CTA/MRA axillary artery involvement

172

12 (7.0%)

12 (7.5%)

0 (0%)

 > 0.9

  CTA/MRA subclavian artery involvement

172

38 (22%)

36 (22%)

2 (17%)

 > 0.9

  CTA/MRA aortitis

172

72 (42%)

68 (42%)

4 (33%)

0.8

  CTA/MRA cerebral artery involvement

71

8 (11%)

1 (1.8%)

7 (50%)

 < 0.001

  CTA cerebral artery involvement

13

4 (31%)

0 (0%)

4 (57%)

0.070

  MRA cerebral artery involvement

69

7 (10%)

1 (1.8%)

6 (43%)

 < 0.001

Treatments

 Pulse glucocorticoids

265

71 (27%)

62 (25%)

9 (69%)

0.001

 Initial oral glucocorticoid dosage (mg/day)

264

55 (45–60)

50 (45–60)

60 (55–80)

0.017

 Aspirin

270

216 (80%)

204 (80%)

12 (86%)

0.7

 Tocilizumab

265

33 (12%)

29 (12%)

4 (29%)

0.081

 Methotrexate

270

74 (27%)

72 (28%)

2 (14%)

0.4

Ischemic vascular events during follow-up

270

32 (12%)

30 (12%)

2 (14%)

0.7

 Ischemic vascular event type

32

 > 0.9

  Non GCA-related CIE

19 (59%)

17 (57%)

2 (100%)

  Myocardial infarction

9 (28%)

9 (30%)

0 (0%)

  Limb ischemia

4 (12%)

4 (13%)

0 (0%)

 Time from diagnosis to non GCA-related CIE (days)

18

1,499 (717–1,723)

1,378 (626–1,636)

3,073 (2,830–3,316)

0.052

 Non GCA-related CIE etiology

18

0.8

  Atherosclerosis

2 (11%)

2 (12%)

0 (0%)

  Cardioembolism

6 (33%)

5 (31%)

1 (50%)

  Small vessel disease

3 (17%)

2 (12%)

1 (50%)

  Septic

1 (5.6%)

1 (6.2%)

0 (0%)

  Undetermined

6 (33%)

6 (38%)

0 (0%)

Mortality

271

33 (12%)

29 (11%)

4 (29%)

0.075