Table 2.

Clinical features of patients with giant cell arteritis at the time of temporal artery biopsy, comparing statin users and nonusers.

Sign/SymptomStatin Users, n (%) n = 54Nonusers, n (%) n = 243p, chi-square
New-onset headache33 (63.46)166 (68.88)0.44
Abnormal temporal artery17 (32.69)55 (22.82)0.13
Jaw claudication25 (48.08)127 (52.70)0.54
Polymyalgia rheumatica18 (34.62)93 (38.59)0.59
Visual symptoms14 (26.92)68 (28.22)0.85
Constitutional signs26 (50)128 (53.11)0.68
Other*5 (9.62)45 (19.07)0.10
Elevation of ESR and/or CRP51 (94.44)217 (91.56)0.58**

  • ↵* Dry cough, tongue claudication, limb claudication, arthralgia, arthritis, ear pain, pericarditis.

  • ↵** Fisher’s exact test. ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate; CRP: C-reactive protein.