Aetiology of TemporaL Arteritis Study

Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) is the most common vasculitis and has significant morbidity in terms of blindness, stroke, and tissue necrosis. It requires protracted treatment with high-dose steroids, and despite this there is a risk of flare during the treatment. Little is known about the initial triggers for the inflammatory process, and there are no good markers of response or relapse. We will study patients referred with suspected GCA to identify important components of the immune response in GCA, and follow them over time to collect evidence of how best to monitor their condition.