[Giant-cell arteritis: a descriptive study in southwestern Spain].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical and laboratory features of a series of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) or temporal arteritis in south-western Spain (Extremadura).


METHODS
Retrospective study of 25 patients with GCA diagnosed by temporal artery biopsy between 1990 and 1998.


RESULTS
Nine patients were males and 16 (64%) females. Sixteen cases (64%) presented polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Other clinical findings were: fever/febricula (64%), constitutional syndrome (64%), new headache (96%), visual symptoms (48%), jaw claudication (17%) and abnormal temporal arteries (17%). All patients had an ESR of more than 50 mm/hour and a raised C-reactive protein. Thirteen patients (52%) had anemia (hemoglobin level < 12 g/dl). Eleven cases (44%) presented a platelet count higher than 400,000/mm3. Four patients (16%) had an elevated AST and/or ALT levels and 8 patients (32%) had an elevated GGT and/or alkaline phosphatase levels. In patients with PMR, there was a higher frequency of constitutional syndrome (81 vs 33%, p = 0.02). In females, there was a higher frequency of anemia (75 vs 11%, p < 0.01), platelet count higher than 400,000/mm3 (75 vs 0%, p < 0.01) and elevated AST and/or ALT (25 vs 0%, p < 0.01) and elevated GGT and/or alkaline phosphatase (50 vs 0%, p < 0.01) levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical and laboratory features of GCA in our series of patients in south-western Spain are similar to that described in other spanish populations, with the exception of a slightly higher frequency of PMR and a lower frequency of jaw claudication and abnormal temporal arteries. In our study, the clinical picture of GCA was more severe in patients with PMR and in females.
Calvo Romero
J M
JM
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Regional Universitario Infanta Cristina, Badajoz.
Magro Ledesma
D
D
Ramos Salado
J L
JL
Bureo Dacal
J C
JC
de Dios Arrebola García
J
J
Bureo Dacal
P
P
Pérez Miranda
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011111:Polymyalgia Rheumatica / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000473:pathology