Incidence of temporal arteritis in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica: a prospective study using colour Doppler ultrasonography of the temporal arteries.

摘要

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of temporal arteritis (TA) in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) using colour Doppler ultrasonography of the temporal arteries. METHODS: Ultrasonography was performed in all 127 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, active PMR seen between 1994 and 2000 and in 127 age- and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: Of 102 patients with "pure" PMR, 8% had ultrasonographic findings arousing suspicion of concomitant active TA (specific halo sign and/or positive histology in 7%; histologically proven TA in 4%). Twenty-five patients had clinical signs of both PMR and TA. Histology and sonography were negative in three of these patients. Of the controls, none had a halo sign and four had stenoses. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonography of the temporal arteries is a new, non-invasive method of diagnosing concomitant TA in patients with PMR.