Incidence of temporal arteritis in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica: a prospective study using colour Doppler ultrasonography of the temporal arteries

Objective. To determine the incidence of temporal arteritis (TA) in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) using colour Doppler ultrasonography of the temporal arteries. Methods. Ultrasonography was performed in all 127 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed, active PMR seen between 1994 and 2000 and in 127 age- and sex-matched controls. Results. Of 102 patients with 'pure' PMR, 8% had ultrasonographic findings arousing suspicion of concomitant active TA (specific halo sign and/or positive histology in 7%; histologically proven TA in 4%). Twenty-five patients had clinical signs of both PMR and TA. Histology and sonography were negative in three of these patients. Of the controls, none had a halo sign and four had stenoses. Conclusion. Ultrasonography of the temporal arteries is a new, non-invasive method of diagnosing concomitant TA in patients with PMR.