LAUSR

Background Joint involvement is frequent in Giant cell arteritis (GCA), mostly polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). The aim of this study was to describe clinical features of joint involvement in GCA. Objectives To compare patients according to the presence or not of PMR. Methods A retrospective and descriptive study of 96 patients with GCA diagnosed between 2000 and 2015. ACR 1990 criteria were used for the diagnosis of GCA. Clinical, biological and histological features were recorded and analysed. Results Joint involvements were noted in 67 patients with GCA (69.8%); 34 women and 33 men. Mean age at diagnosis was 72.4±6.36 years. PMR was diagnosed in 45 patients (46.8%) and revealed the disease in two patients. Neck pain was noted in 48 patients. Twenty one patients (21.8%) complained of peripheral arthralgias which revealed GCA in five cases. Joint manifestations were associated to cardinal symptoms of GCA: headache (97%), jaw claudication (62%), scalp tenderness (49.3%) and ophthalmologic manifestations (36.9%). Erythrocyte sediment rate and C-reactive protein were high in 89.2% and 82.7% of cases respectively. Constitutional symptoms (60% vs 39.2%; p=0.042), jaw claudication (68.2% vs 47.1%; p=0.038) and neck pain (62.2% vs 39.2%; p=0.024) were significantly more frequent in patients with PMR. Peripheral arthralgias (28.9% vs 15.7%) were more frequent in patients with PMR without significant differences. Giant cell vasculitis on temporal arterial biopsy was more frequent in patients with PMR (57% vs 30%; p=0.037). Corticosteroids were given in 97% of patients while methotrexate was used in 20.9%. Conclusions PMR in patients with GCA seem to be associated to different joint manifestations. Disclosure of Interest None declared