Bay Biosciences provides high quality, clinical grade, temporal artery biopsy tissue bio-specimens FFPE blocks, cryogenically preserved sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid samples from patients diagnosed with giant cell arteritis.
The sera (serum), plasma and PBMC biofluid specimens are processed from giant cell arteritis patient’s peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols. The giant cell arteritis temporal artery biopsy tissue and matched biofluid samples are collected from unique patients diagnosed with giant cell arteritis disease and are provided to a valued pharmaceutical customer for research, diagnostics, discovery and drug development.
Detailed clinical data, giant cell arteritis patients history, symptoms, complete blood count (CBC), serology, MRI, biopsy histopathology information, elevated biomarker levels, genetic and metabolic information associated with giant cell arteritis specimens is provided to a valued customer for research, development and drug discovery.
The giant cell arteritis sera (serum), plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) biofluid are processed from patients peripheral whole-blood using customized collection and processing protocols.
Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) Overview
Giant cell arteritis (GCA), or temporal arteritis, is an inflammatory disease affecting the large blood vessels of the scalp, neck and arms. Inflammation causes a narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels, which interrupts blood flow. The disease is commonly associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. Giant cell arteritis is an inflammation of the lining of your arteries. Most often, it affects the arteries in your head, especially those in the temples. For this reason, giant cell arteritis is also called temporal arteritis. Giant cell arteritis frequently causes headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw pain and vision problems, if untreated, it can lead to blindness.
Giant cell arteritis (GCA), or temporal arteritis, is a systemic inflammatory vasculitis of unknown etiology that occurs in older patients and can result in a wide variety of systemic, neurologic, and ophthalmologic complications. Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common form of systemic vasculitis in adults. Other names for giant cell arteritis (GCA) include arteritis cranialis, Horton disease, granulomatous arteritis, and arteritis of the aged.
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is classified as a large-vessel vasculitis but typically also involves medium and small arteries, particularly the superficial temporal arteries, hence the term temporal arteritis. In addition, giant cell arteritis (GCA) most commonly affects the ophthalmic, occipital, vertebral, posterior ciliary, and proximal vertebral arteries.
Caucasian women over the age of 50, most commonly between the ages of 70 and 80 years, have the highest risk of developing giant cell arteritis. Although women are more likely than men to develop giant cell arteritis (GCA), research suggests that men are more likely to suffer potentially blinding eye involvement. Prompt treatment with Corticosteroid medications usually relieves symptoms of giant cell arteritis and might prevent loss of vision. Patient’s are likely begin to feel better within days of starting treatment, but even with treatment, relapses are common.
Signs and Symptoms of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
The most common symptoms of giant cell arteritis are head pain and tenderness, often severe, that usually affects both temples. Head pain can progressively worsen, come and go, or subside temporarily.
Following are the common signs and symptoms of giant cell arteritis (GCA):
- Persistent, severe head pain, usually in your temple area
- Scalp tenderness
- Jaw pain when you chew or open your mouth wide
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Unintended weight loss
- Vision loss or double vision, particularly in people who also have jaw pain
- Sudden, permanent loss of vision in one eye
Pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders or hips are common symptoms of a related disorder, polymyalgia rheumatica. About 50 percent of people with giant cell arteritis also have polymyalgia rheumatica.
Causes of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
With giant cell arteritis, the lining of arteries becomes inflamed, causing them to swell. This swelling narrows the blood vessels, reducing the amount of blood, and, therefore, oxygen and vital nutrients that reaches the body’s tissues. Almost any large or medium-sized artery can be affected, but swelling most often occurs in the arteries in the temples. These are just in front of your ears and continue up into the scalp.
Exact causes these arteries to become inflamed is not known, but it is thought to involve abnormal attacks on artery walls by the immune system. Certain genes and environmental factors might increase your susceptibility to the condition.
Risk Factors of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
Several factors can increase your risk of developing giant cell arteritis, including:
- Age: Giant cell arteritis affects adults only, and rarely those under 50. Most patients with this condition develop signs and symptoms between the ages of 70 and 80.
- Sex: Women are about twice more likely to develop the condition than men are.
- Race and geographic region: Giant cell arteritis is most common among white people in Northern European populations or of Scandinavian descent.
- Polymyalgia rheumatica: Patients having polymyalgia rheumatica have increased risk of developing giant cell arteritis.
- Family history: Sometimes the condition runs in families.
Complications of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
Giant cell arteritis can cause serious complications, including:
- Blindness: Diminished blood flow to the eyes can cause sudden, painless vision loss in one or, rarely, both eyes. Loss of vision is usually permanent.
- Aortic aneurysm: An aneurysm is a bulge that forms in a weakened blood vessel, usually in the large artery that runs down the center of your chest and abdomen (aorta). An aortic aneurysm might burst, causing life-threatening internal bleeding. Because this complication can occur even years after the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis, your doctor might monitor your aorta with annual chest X-rays or other imaging tests, such as ultrasound and CT scan.
- Stroke: This is an uncommon complication of giant cell arteritis.
Diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA)
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) can be difficult to diagnose because its early symptoms resemble those of other common conditions. For this reason, your doctor will try to rule out other possible causes of your problem. In addition to asking about your symptoms and medical history, your doctor is likely to perform a thorough physical exam, paying particular attention to your temporal arteries. Often, one or both of these arteries are tender, with a reduced pulse and a hard, cordlike feel and appearance.
Your doctor might also recommend the following diagnostic tests:
Blood tests
The following tests might be used to help diagnose the condition and to follow the progress during treatment:
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate: Commonly referred to as the sed rate, this test measures how quickly red blood cells fall to the bottom of a tube of blood. Red cells that drop rapidly might indicate inflammation in the body.
- C-reactive protein (CRP): This measures a substance the liver produces when inflammation is present.
Imaging test
Following tests might be used to diagnose giant cell arteritis (GCA) and to monitor your response to treatment:
- Doppler ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to produce images of blood flowing through the blood vessels.
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA):This test combines an MRI scan with the use of a contrast material that produces detailed images of the blood vessels.
- Positron emission tomography (PET): If your doctor suspects you might have giant cell arteritis in large arteries, such as your aorta, he or she might recommend PET. This test uses an intravenous tracer solution that contains a tiny amount of radioactive material. A PET scan can produce detailed images of the larger blood vessels and highlight areas of inflammation.
Biopsy
The best way to confirm a diagnosis of giant cell arteritis is by taking a small sample (biopsy) of the temporal artery. This artery is situated close to the skin just in front of the ears and continues up to the scalp. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis using local anesthesia, usually with little discomfort or scarring. The sample is examined under a microscope in a laboratory. If you have giant cell arteritis, the artery will often show inflammation that includes abnormally large cells, called giant cells, which give the disease its name. It’s possible to have giant cell arteritis and have a negative biopsy result. If the results aren’t clear, your doctor might advise another temporal artery biopsy on the other side of your head.
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