@article {Gonzalez-Juanatey74, author = {Carlos Gonzalez-Juanatey and Javier Llorca and Carlos Garcia-Porrua and Amalia Sanchez-Andrade and Javier Mart{\'\i}n and Miguel A Gonzalez-Gay}, title = {Steroid therapy improves endothelial function in patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis.}, volume = {33}, number = {1}, pages = {74--78}, year = {2006}, publisher = {The Journal of Rheumatology}, abstract = {OBJECTIVE: Endothelial dysfunction has been found to be present in subjects with both small and medium-size blood vessel vasculitides. We assess whether endothelial dysfunction was also present in patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis (GCA) and whether it might be improved following steroid treatment. METHODS: Endothelial function was determined in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of 6 patients with biopsy-proven GCA diagnosed between January and May 2002 by measuring flow-mediated endothelial-dependent and independent vasodilatation (EDV and EIV) by brachial ultrasonography. Patients were assessed for endothelial function within 48 hours after the onset of steroid therapy, 4 weeks after the onset of steroid therapy, and 2 years after the disease diagnosis. RESULTS: EDV was significantly impaired in patients with GCA compared with 12 matched controls [mean 2.9\%, median 2.45\% (range 2.1\% to 4.7\%) vs mean 6.5\%, median 6.6\% (range 3.9\% to 9.3\%) in matched controls; p = 0.002]. However, no significant difference existed between patients and controls in EIV. Significant improvement of EDV after the suppression of inflammation was achieved. At Week 4 after the onset of steroid therapy all 6 patients showed enhanced responses (p = 0.028). This improvement of EDV was still present when steroid treatment was ended, 2 years after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Endothelial function is significantly impaired in individuals with active biopsy-proven GCA. The results highlight the importance of steroid therapy to improve endothelial function after suppression of the inflammation of GCA.}, issn = {0315-162X}, URL = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/33/1/74}, eprint = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/33/1/74.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of Rheumatology} }