Clinical pathways for patients with giant cell arteritis during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international perspective

Sarah L Mackie; Elisabeth Brouwer; Richard Conway; Kornelis S M van der Geest; Puja Mehta; Susan P Mollan; Lorna Neill; Michael Putman; Philip C Robinson; Sebastian E Sattui

doi:10.1016/S2665-9913(20)30386-6

Clinical pathways for patients with giant cell arteritis during the COVID-19 pandemic: an international perspective

Lancet Rheumatol. 2021 Jan;3(1):e71-e82. doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(20)30386-6. Epub 2020 Dec 8.

Authors

Sarah L Mackie^{1

2}, Elisabeth Brouwer³, Richard Conway⁴, Kornelis S M van der Geest³, Puja Mehta^{5

6}, Susan P Mollan⁷, Lorna Neill⁸, Michael Putman⁹, Philip C Robinson¹⁰, Sebastian E Sattui¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
² NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Unit, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK.
³ Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
⁴ Department of Rheumatology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
⁵ Centre for Inflammation and Tissue Repair, UCL Respiratory, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK.
⁶ Department of Rheumatology, University College London Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK.
⁷ Birmingham Neuro-Ophthalmology, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
⁸ PMR GCA Scotland, Perth, Scotland.
⁹ Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
¹⁰ University of Queensland Faculty of Medicine, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
¹¹ Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA.

Abstract

Giant cell arteritis, a common primary systemic vasculitis affecting older people, presents acutely as a medical emergency and requires rapid specialist assessment and treatment to prevent irreversible vision loss. Disruption of the health-care system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic exposed weak points in clinical pathways for diagnosis and treatment of giant cell arteritis, but has also permitted innovative solutions. The essential roles played by all professionals, including general practitioners and surgeons, in treating these patients have become evident. Patients must also be involved in the reshaping of clinical services. As an international group of authors involved in the care of patients with giant cell arteritis, we reflect in this Viewpoint on rapid service adaptations during the first peak of COVID-19, evaluate challenges, and consider implications for the future.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

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