Vasculitis Update
Sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
GCA and PMR: Overview of Diseases Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common vasculitis in the United States, with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) being the second most common inflammatory rheumatic disease.1-3 The 2 disorders share an overlap in clinical presentation although they have different diagnoses. Of the patients with a primary diagnosis of GCA, 40% to 60% have PMR, whereas of patients with a primary diagnosis of PMR, 15% to 20% have GCA.1