Graham E, Holland A, Avery A, Russell R W
Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1981 Jan 24;282(6260):269-71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.282.6260.269.
In a study to assess the natural history of giant-cell arteritis, 90 patients with proved disease were followed up from the time of diagnosis. Early mortality was low and most commonly due to vertebral arteritis, but cerebral infarction did not appear to be a late complication. High maintenance dose steroids and visual loss were associated significantly with a shortened life span (p=0.0003 and p=0.0024). One-third of the patients developed chronic relapsing disease, but serious late complications were not encountered. After the initial attack has been controlled steroid dosage should be reduced to the minimum needed to alleviate symptoms.
在一项评估巨细胞动脉炎自然病程的研究中，90例确诊患者从诊断时开始接受随访。早期死亡率较低，最常见的原因是椎动脉炎，但脑梗死似乎不是晚期并发症。高维持剂量的类固醇和视力丧失与寿命缩短显著相关（p = 0.0003和p = 0.0024）。三分之一的患者发展为慢性复发性疾病，但未出现严重的晚期并发症。在初始发作得到控制后，应将类固醇剂量减至缓解症状所需的最低水平。
