Clinical Pearls and Myths in Vasculitis

Giant Cell Arteritis: MythThis myth rivals failure to obtain a temporal artery biopsyas the most common error in the management of GCA andleads to substantial morbidity from excessive corticosteroidtherapyAlthough the ESR is a helpful diagnostic tool in GCA, it isnot infallible, and ”treating the sed rate” is a commonmistakeIn the absence of clinical symptoms that recall the patient’spresentation or that clearly signal the possibility ofrecurrent GCA, an increase in the ESR should not triggerretreatment with corticosteroids