People with giant cell arteritis who develop diabetes after their rheumatological diagnosis are more likely to have lower relapse-free survival than those with pre-existing diabetes or no diabetes, a study shows.

In addition, researchers have found for the first time that those with pre-existing diabetes were less likely to have a positive temporal artery biopsy than other patients with GCA.

Canadian researchers sought to examine findings from previous small studies on diabetes as a comorbidity with GCA and on the interaction of certain medicines on the course of GCA.

The retrospective cohort study of 137 patients from two centres found that patients on angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) before their GCA diagnosis were more than twice as likely to discontinue glucocorticoids successfully without a flare over the three months post diagnosis than those not on ARBs.