Associated factors of poor treatment outcomes in patients with giant cell arteritis: clinical implication of large vessel lesions

Background Relapses frequently occur in giant cell arteritis (GCA), and long-term glucocorticoid therapy is required. The identification of associated factors with poor treatment outcomes is important to decide the treatment algorithm of GCA. Methods We enrolled 139 newly diagnosed GCA patients treated with glucocorticoids between 2007 and 2014 in a retrospective, multi-center registry. Patients were diagnosed with temporal artery biopsy, 1990...