Clinical and Immunogenetic Characterization of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) and Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR)
Trial Parameters
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Brief Summary
A multi-centre observational study recruiting prospective and retrospective cohorts of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). The primary aim is to find genetic determinants of GCA and PMR susceptibility, in order to yield novel insights into disease pathogenesis. A subset of the retrospective cohort is also enrolled in a post-marketing surveillance registry of patients eligible for, or receiving tocilizumab, to treat their relapsing or refractory GCA.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Willing to self-identify an ethnic group, such as Caucasian, Asian, Afro-Caribbean. * Have a firm clinical diagnosis of GCA or PMR, or (for patients identified prospectively) GCA or PMR should be more likely than any alternative explanation for the patient's symptoms. * Able and willing to give informed consent. Patients will be 50 years of age or over, unless both biopsy-proven and a clinically classical case of GCA. Exclusion Criteria: • Patient unwilling or unable to give fully informed consent.