What is the most common form of vasculitis among elderly individuals aged 50 and above?

What is the most common form of vasculitis among elderly individuals aged 50 and above?

• A. Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis)
• B. Polyarteritis nodosa
• C. Microscopic polyangiitis
• D. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis

Answer: (A)

Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis) is the most common form of vasculitis in people aged 50 and older. This large-vessel inflammatory disease typically presents after age 50 with new headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, and sometimes visual disturbances. It features granulomatous inflammation of large arteries, often the temporal artery, and marked inflammatory markers. Because vision loss can be irreversible, recognizing it early and starting treatment with high-dose corticosteroids is essential. The other vasculitides listed—polyarteritis nodosa, microscopic polyangiitis, and granulomatosis with polyangiitis—affect different vessel sizes and have different clinical patterns, so they are less common than giant cell arteritis in this age group.

Giant cell arteritis (temporal arteritis) is the most common form of vasculitis in people aged 50 and older. This large-vessel inflammatory disease typically presents after age 50 with new headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, and sometimes visual disturbances. It features granulomatous inflammation of large arteries, often the temporal artery, and marked inflammatory markers. Because vision loss can be irreversible, recognizing it early and starting treatment with high-dose corticosteroids is essential. The other vasculitides listed—polyarteritis nodosa, microscopic polyangiitis, and granulomatosis with polyangiitis—affect different vessel sizes and have different clinical patterns, so they are less common than giant cell arteritis in this age group.