Significance of Inflammation Restricted to Adventitial/Periadventitial Tissue on Temporal Artery Biopsy

Abstract Objective To evaluate the characteristics and significance of inflammation restricted (RI) to the adventitial and/or periadventitial tissue on temporal artery biopsy (TAB). Methods We studied a retrospective cohort of 80 patients with RI, extending our earlier series of 39 patients. For comparison purposes, we collected the same data from 254 patients with transmural inflammation (TMI) and 81 TAB-negative patients. A review of the literature was also performed. Results A final diagnosis of giant cells arteritis (GCA) and/or polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) was observed in 86% of patients with RI. Compared to TMI, GCA diagnosis was significantly less frequently observed in patients with RI and in those TAB-negative (p Conclusion A large part of the patients with RI have GCA/PMR, however, the diagnostic value of RI for GCA diagnosis is not relevant.