Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- headache
- polymyalgia rheumatica symptoms
- extremity claudication
- other cranial artery abnormalities
- loss of vision
- jaw claudication
- superficial temporal artery tenderness, thickening, or nodularity
- absent temporal artery pulse
- abnormal fundoscopy
Other diagnostic factors
- systemic symptoms
- neurologic symptoms
- cough, sore throat, hoarseness
- bruit on auscultation
- asymmetric blood pressure
- shoulder tenderness
- limited active range of movement of shoulders and hips
- wrist and knee swelling
Risk factors
- age >50 years
- female sex
- genetic factors
- smoking
- atherosclerosis
- environmental factors
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- ESR
- CRP
- CBC
- LFTs
- temporal artery biopsy
- temporal artery ultrasound
Investigations to consider
- aortic arch angiography
Emerging tests
- FDG-PET scan of head to mid-thigh
- ultrasound scan of the upper extremity arteries
Treatment algorithm
suspected GCA
confirmed GCA
Contributors
Authors
Kenneth J. Warrington, MD

Professor of Medicine
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine
Rochester
MN
Disclosures
KJW’s employer receives payments from Eli Lilly and Kiniksa for his role as investigator in giant cell arteritis clinical trials. KJW has conducted consulting work for Sanofi, and received compensation from Roche/Genentech for lecturing. KJW is an author of a number of references cited in this topic.
Acknowledgements
Dr Kenneth J. Warrington wishes to gratefully acknowledge Dr Eric L. Matteson, a previous contributor to this topic.
Disclosures
ELM’s employer has received payments from Bristol Meyers Squibb and GlaxoSmithKline for his role as investigator in giant cell arteritis clinical trials; from Novartis for his role in polymyalgia rheumatica clinical trials; and from GlaxoSmithKline for his role as an advisory consultant. ELM is an author and editor for Up To Date and Paradigm, as well as an author of a number of references cited in this topic.
Peer reviewers
Gene Hunder, MD
Professor of Rheumatology
Mayo Clinic
Rochester
MN
Disclosures
GH declares that he has no competing interests.
Kuntal Chakravarty, FRCP (London), FRCP (Glasgow), FRCP (Ireland), FACP (USA), FACR (USA)
Consultant Rheumatologist
BHRT University Hospital
Queen’s Hospital
Romford
UK
Disclosures
KC declares that he has no competing interests.
Differentials
- Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR)
- Solid organ cancers and hematologic malignancies
- Takayasu arteritis (TA)
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- 2021 American College of Rheumatology/Vasculitis Foundation guideline for the management of giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis
- British Society for Rheumatology guideline on diagnosis and treatment of giant cell arteritis
More GuidelinesPatient leaflets
Giant cell arteritis
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