HOW DO GENERAL PRACTITIONERS IDENTIFY GIANT CELL ARTERITIS (GCA)?

Helliwell, T.; Muller, S.; Hider, S. L.; Richardson, J.; Mallen, C.

Abstract

Background Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) is the commonest large vessel vasculitis yet a full time UK general practitioner (GP) can expect to see just 1 case every 1-2 years [Barraclough]. GCA may be difficult to identify, particularly in atypical cases. For example headache has been shown to be absent in just under a quarter of GCA patients which may falsely reassure clinicians resulting in delayed diagnosis and potential visual loss [Ezeonyeji].

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate how GPs identify GCA.

Methods A postal questionnaire survey of 5000 randomly selected UK general practitioners was undertaken. Questions included experience of managing patients with GCA, presenting symptoms used to identify GCA and the referral pathways used.

Results 1249 questionnaires were returned. The mean age of responder was 43 years and they had been qualified as a GP for a mean of 14 years (SD 9.03). Respondents were more likely to be from larger practices. 879 responders (70.4%) indicated that they had diagnosed and managed a patient with GCA. Figure 1 illustrates the combinations of the main symptoms that GPs use to identify GCA with headache being the predominant feature (n=1071 (86%)). Other commonly reported features were visual disturbances (n=671 (53.9%)), jaw symptoms (n=420 (33.7%)) and temporal artery/scalp tenderness (n=468 (37.6%)). 21.86% (n=273) indicated that they only use headache as a symptom for identifying GCA.

Citation

Helliwell, T., Muller, S., Hider, S. L., Richardson, J., & Mallen, C. (2014). HOW DO GENERAL PRACTITIONERS IDENTIFY GIANT CELL ARTERITIS (GCA)?. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 73(S2), 1004-1004. https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.4634

• Journal Article Type: Conference Paper
• Online Publication Date: Jun 10, 2014
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Deposit Date: Oct 13, 2023
• Journal: ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
• Print ISSN: 0003-4967
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 73
• Issue: S2
• Pages: 1004-1004
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-eular.4634