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Inpatient complications in patients with giant cell arteritis: decreased mortality and increased risk of thromboembolism, delirium and adrenal insufficiency.
Rheumatology (Oxford). 2015 Aug;54(8):1360-8
Authors: Unizony S, Menendez ME, Rastalsky N, Stone JH
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The morbidity and mortality of hospitalized GCA patients have been unexplored. The aim of this study was to analyse inpatient complications experienced by patients with GCA.
METHODS: We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to study a large group of patients admitted for pneumonia, myocardial infarction (MI), ischaemic stroke and femoral neck fracture. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether or not they had a diagnosis of GCA upon admission. Outcomes evaluated included inpatient mortality and the occurrence of adrenal insufficiency, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and delirium.
RESULTS: From 2008 to 2011, 8 203 447 patients ≥50 years of age were discharged from US hospitals after admission with pneumonia, MI, stroke and femoral neck fracture. Among these patients, 9311 (0.11%) had GCA. Admissions for pneumonia, stroke and hip fracture were more frequent in GCA patients compared with those without GCA, accounting for 41.5% vs 39.4%, 24.9% vs 19.8% and 15.4% vs 14.2% of hospitalizations, respectively (P ≤ 0.001). Admissions for MI were more common in non-GCA patients (26.6% vs 18.2%, P < 0.001). During hospitalization, 4.1% of the GCA patients died, compared with 4.8% of those without GCA [odds ratio (OR) 0.73, P < 0.001). The GCA population suffered significantly more often from deep vein thrombosis (OR 2.08, P < 0.001), pulmonary embolism (OR 1.58, P < 0.001), delirium (OR 1.60, P < 0.001) and adrenal insufficiency (OR 4.95, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Hospitalized GCA patients have lower mortality compared with the general inpatient population but greater risk of venous thromboembolism, delirium and adrenal insufficiency.
PMID: 25667435 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]