From the Guidelines
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) typically affects individuals over the age of 50 years.
Key Points
- The incidence of GCA increases with age, with most cases occurring in individuals over 50 years old 1.
- Women are more commonly affected than men, with a ratio of approximately 3:2 1.
- The clinical presentation of GCA is varied, but common symptoms include headache, scalp tenderness, and jaw claudication 1.
- Diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical, imaging, and pathologic findings, including biopsy of the temporal artery and elevated inflammatory markers such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) 1.
- Treatment typically involves high-dose corticosteroids, such as prednisone 40-60 mg daily, with the goal of reducing inflammation and preventing complications such as vision loss 1.
- The age cutoff for GCA is generally considered to be 50 years, as the incidence of the disease increases significantly after this age 1.
From the Research
Age Cut Off for Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
- The age cut off for giant cell arteritis (GCA) is generally considered to be 50 years of age, as it primarily affects individuals over this age 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- GCA is extremely rare in patients less than 50 years of age 2.
- However, there have been reported cases of GCA in younger patients, including a 31-year-old and a 40-year-old 2.
- The disease peaks in incidence in the seventh decade of life 4.
- It is essential to suspect GCA in patients over the age of 50 years with vision changes, new headache, temporal artery abnormalities, or jaw claudication, especially in the setting of systemic symptoms 3.