Systematic Review of the Yield of Temporal Artery Biopsy for Suspected Giant Cell Arteritis.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To determine the positive yield (utility rate) of temporal artery biopsy (TAB) in patients with suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Study design

Systematic review (CRD42017078508) and meta-regression.

Materials and methods

All articles concerning TAB for suspected GCA with English language abstracts from 1998 to 2017 were retrieved. Articles were excluded if they exclusively reported positive TAB, or only cases of known GCA. Where available, the pre-specified predictors of age, sex, vision symptoms, jaw claudication, duration of steroid treatment prior to TAB, specimen length, bilateral TAB, and use of ultrasound/MRI (imaging) were recorded for meta-regression.

Results

One hundred and thirteen articles met eligibility criteria. The I ²

SUBMITTER: Ing EB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6351023 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature