El-Dairi et al reported a score for diagnosis of a patient with giant cell arteritis (GCA). The authors are from Duke University.
Patient selection: suspected giant cell arteritis
Parameters:
(1) age in years
(2) race or ethnicity
(3) jaw claudication
(4) serum CRP in mg/dL
(5) platelet count per microliter
(6) number of abnormal laboratory tests (ESR > 50 mm/h, CRP, platelet count)
Parameter
Finding
Points
age
<= 65 years
0
> 65 years
3.05
race or ethnicity
white
4.61
other
jaw claudication
no
yes
3.26
serum CRP
<= 0.5 mg/dL
> 0.5 mg/dL
1.8
platelet count
<= 400,000 per µL
> 400,000 per µL
3.3
number of abnormal lab tests
<= 2
> 2
3.4
total score =
= SUM(points for all of the parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 19.42
• A score >= 8.5 had a positive predictive value of 0.82 and negative predictive value of 0.53 for a positive temporal artery biopsy.
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Specialty: Immunology/Rheumatology
