What it is
Giant cell arteritis (GCA), also called temporal arteritis, is an inflammatory disease of large and medium-sized arteries. It affects the cranial arteries as well as the aorta and its great-vessel branches, almost always in adults over 50.
Signs and symptoms
Headache
New-onset headache is one of the most common first symptoms of GCA, caused by inflammation of the arteries supplying the head.
Jaw claudication
Jaw claudication is pain or fatigue in the jaw when chewing, caused by reduced blood flow through inflamed arteries. It is a characteristic symptom of GCA.
Visual loss
GCA can cause sudden visual loss or double vision. Untreated, it can lead to irreversible blindness, which is why prompt treatment matters.
Increased circulating interleukin 6 concentration
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a key inflammatory signalling protein that is elevated in GCA and drives the disease, which is why IL-6-blocking treatment works.
Elevated circulating C-reactive protein concentration
A raised C-reactive protein (CRP) level is another common inflammatory blood marker seen in GCA.
Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate
A raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a common blood-test finding in GCA and reflects active inflammation.
Treatment and management
What the research describes, not a recommendation. Treatment decisions belong with your clinician.
This covers treatments that appear in the published research mapped here. Investigational and experimental therapies are not included, so their absence is a boundary of this map, not a sign they do not exist.
Glucocorticoids
High-dose glucocorticoids (such as prednisone) are started immediately to bring GCA under control and have long been the first-line treatment.
Used to help with: Giant cell arteritis.
“High dose glucocorticoid therapy (40-60 mg/day prednisone-equivalent) should be initiated immediately for induction of remission in active giant cell arteritis (GCA) or Takayasu arteritis (TAK).”
Tocilizumab
Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor that was studied in patients with giant cell arteritis to reduce relapses while glucocorticoids are tapered.
Used to help with: Giant cell arteritis.
“…tocilizumab is the first agent to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of giant cell arteritis.”
Turn this into questions for your doctor
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How to read the evidence labels
Where this comes from
This guide is built from 6 published source(s). Every claim above links back to one of them. Click any source ID to read the original on PubMed.