Description

Breuer et al identified clinical factors in patients with a negative temporal artery biopsy who subsequently were diagnosed with giant cell arteritis. This underlies the need to continue monitoring the patient after a negative biopsy. The authors are from Shaare-Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem.


 

Factors associated with a "false-negative" initial temporal artery biopsy:

(1) older age

(2) presence of a headache

(3) thrombocytosis

 

where:

• Patients with true-negative temporal artery biopsies had an age of 74.8 +/- 8 years while those with false-negative biopsies had an age of 81.7 +/- 6.2 years.

• This data is rearranged: probably true negative if <= 66 years of age, probably false negative if > 83 years and indeterminate for 67 to 83 years.

• The initial assessment for the degree of risk for temporal arteritis would also impact the patient. A patient considered low risk or for whom another cause was found would probably be true negatives.

 


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