Association of Ultrasonographic Temporal Artery Lesions and Relapse in Patients With Giant Cell Arteritis

Association of Ultrasonographic Temporal Artery Lesions and Relapse in Patients With Giant Cell Arteritis

Ultrasound evaluation of the temporal and axillary arteries is currently well recognized in the field of giant cell arteritis (GCA), a disease primarily affecting medium- and large-caliber vessels. Structural ultrasound abnormalities are now well described in this pathology, but their association with relapse and clinical concordance is unknown. There is currently a follow-up score (the OGUS score) for medium- and large-caliber arteries that could also predict the clinical course of the disease.

Prospective bicentric longitudinal study evaluating the association between ultrasound lesions and clinico-biological relapse in patients with giant cell arteritis.

This is a non-interventional study with patients routinely followed for their pathology and classically benefiting from temporal artery ultrasound as part of their disease. Recruitment will be facilitated by the fact that these will be "general population" patients with suspected giant cell arteritis.

The center will enroll 100 patients. The study will take place over 3 visits, including a clinical, biological and ultrasound examination. Ultrasound will not be blinded to the clinic, so we will only need one examiner in the center.

This is a study in routine care, with no additional costs and no expected constraints. The ultrasound examination will be performed as part of their routine follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Major patient
• Patients meeting ACR 2022 criteria for giant cell arteritis.
• No opposition expressed

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients unable to understand the protocol, under guardianship or curatorship.
• Patients not affiliated to the French Social Security system.