Risk factors for early visual deterioration in temporal arteritis
- 1 November 2007
- journal article
- Published by BMJ in Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
- Vol. 78 (11), 1255-1259
- https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2006.113787
Abstract
Despite corticosteroid treatment, patients with temporal arteritis may continue to lose vision. However, predictors of progressive visual loss are not known. We retrospectively reviewed 341 consecutive patients with suspected temporal arteritis who underwent temporal artery biopsy. 90 patients with biopsy proven temporal arteritis were included in our study. Twenty-one patients (23%) experienced continuous visual symptoms despite steroid therapy and 14 among these suffered persistent visual deterioration. Based on univariate analysis, visual loss on presentation was associated with disc swelling and a history of hypertension. Risk factors for progressive visual loss included older age, elevated C reactive protein and disc swelling. Although corticosteroid therapy improves the visual prognosis in temporal arteritis, steroids may not stop the progression of visual loss. Our study reliably establishes the risk factors for visual loss in this serious condition. Whether addressing these risk factors early in their presentation can alter the visual outcome remains unknown. Individual risk anticipating treatment regimens and strategies might improve the visual prognosis in temporal arteritis in the future.Keywords
This publication has 45 references indexed in Scilit:
- Deterioration of giant cell arteritis with corticosteroid therapy.Archives of Neurology, 2000
- Visual performance in giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis) after 1 year of therapyBritish Journal of Ophthalmology, 1999
- Relation between HLA DRB1 alleles and corticosteroid resistance in giant cell arteritisAnnals Of The Rheumatic Diseases, 1998
- Presenting features and outcomes in patients undergoing temporal artery biopsy. A review of 98 patients.1992
- PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS IN GIANT CELL ARTERITIS BY CORTICOSTEROID TREATMENTRheumatology, 1992
- Treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis. I. Steroid regimens in the first two months.Annals Of The Rheumatic Diseases, 1989
- Neurologic disease in biopsy‐proven giant cell (temporal) arteritisNeurology, 1988
- The epidemiology of giant cell arteritis including temporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumaticaArthritis & Rheumatism, 1981
- Temporal ArteritisAnnals of Internal Medicine, 1978
- Daily and Alternate-Day Corticosteroid Regimens in Treatment of Giant Cell ArteritisAnnals of Internal Medicine, 1975