Garvey TD, Koster MJ, Crowson CS, et al. - Researchers conducted a population-based cohort study to determine trends in the incidence and use of diagnostic modalities for giant cell arteritis (GCA) over the past seven decades and to compare survival trends between patients with GCA vs the general population.

• The most recent two decades showed a reducing incidence of GCA in Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, due to a reduction in incidence among women.

• Compared with temporal artery biopsy, clinical means or large-vessel imaging is used in increasing numbers of patients for making diagnosis.

• In this population, patients with GCA showed mortality similar to the general population.

• Complementary information is gained in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis by using temporal artery histology and large-vessel imaging that raises the possibility for individualization of the diagnostic approach to GCA based on patient presentation.