Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0039483 (giant cell arteritis)
 3,204 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Sixty three patients (51 women, 12 men) with giant cell arteritis were studied by serial analyses of von Willebrand factor antigen (vWF: Ag) concentration and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity. Their mean age at the time of diagnosis was 71 years. Two hundred and one randomly selected subjects from the general population, aged 75 years, served as controls. The mean concentration of vWF:Ag in the patients with giant cell arteritis before the start of corticosteroid treatment was 2.63 (SD 1.35) IU/ml compared with 1.71 (0.69) IU/ml in the general population. The vWF:Ag concentration slowly decreased and reached the control range about 18 months after the diagnosis. The vWF:Ag did not correlate with the clinical group of giant cell arteritis nor with the results of temporal artery biopsy. Flare ups and vascular complications were not indicated by the vWF:Ag. Plasminogen activator inhibitor activity in the patients was not significantly different from that of the general population at any time. It was concluded that the determination of vWF:Ag and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity is of limited clinical value in the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of steroid treatment in patients with giant cell arteritis.
 ...
PMID:von Willebrand factor antigen and plasminogen activator inhibitor in giant cell arteritis. 144 39

Twenty-four patients with biopsy proven temporal arteritis were followed for 7 years and the effect and duration of corticosteroid treatment was evaluated. An initial dose of 35 mg prednisone daily was sufficient to control symptoms and signs in most of the patients. Flare-up rates upon corticosteroid reduction were high, especially in the first 24 months of treatment. Flare-ups were more common (greater than twice) in "non-western" Jews as compared to "western" Jews. Serious corticosteroid side effects were uncommon. Corticosteroid treatment was withdrawn from 7 patients after 5 years; two of these patients suffered flare-ups within 16 months. Nineteen patients remained on prednisone, in an average dose of 4 mg/day, 7 years after diagnosis. Thus, corticosteroid treatment in temporal arteritis should be prolonged in the majority of patients.
 ...
PMID:Prolonged corticosteroid treatment in the management of temporal arteritis. 314 60