title: [Incidence of cardiovascular events in giant cell arteritis: preliminary results of a prospective double cohort study (GRACG)].
abstract: Giant cell arteritis is the most frequent vasculitis. Cardiovascular events such as cerebrovascular accident or ischemic heart disease may occur in patients with giant cell arteritis. However, their real incidence, as well as their relative risk compared to the general population, remains unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess in a prospective, double cohort study, the incidence of cardiovascular events in giant cell arteritis patients compared to controls, after controlling for cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included on predefined criteria 432 newly diagnosed patients with giant cell arteritis, each assigned to sex- and age-matched controls randomly selected from the general population. Cardiovascular risk factors (high-blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and preexisting peripheral vascular disease) were collected at inclusion. During the 24-month follow-up, all cardiovascular events were collected. After stratification for cardiovascular risk factors, a log-rank test was performed to compare cases and controls. A parametric survival model was used for multivariate analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cardiovascular events all combined were significantly increased in patients with giant cell arteritis (RR = 2.15 [1.21-3.81], P = 0.009), and were mainly associated with age (P = 0.0001), past history of cardiovascular disease (P = 0.023) but also with giant cell arteritis (P = 0.009). However, each subset of cerebrovascular accident (RR = 2.42 [0.84-7]) or ischemic heart disease (RR = 1.67 [0.72-3.89]) increased but did not significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiovascular events incidence is increased in patients with giant cell arteritis, and prescription of preventive antiagregant treatment may be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine interne et RECIF, CHU Nord, Amiens, France. lepage.laurence@chu-amiens.fr
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Le Page
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duhaut
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seydoux
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bosshard
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ecochard
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pétigny
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cevallos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smail
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salle
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chatelain
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Loire
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pellet
authors.forename: J-C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Piette
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ducroix
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors