Felten L, Leuchten N, Aringer M, et al. - The results showed that 44% of the patients relapsed, despite a long-term glucocorticoid (GC) regimen with slow rates of reduction in the low dose range and high cumulative prednisolone doses. It has been reported that only five (21%) of these relapses may have been prevented by adhering to the recommended GC regimen.

• Researchers recruited a total of 54 patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) confirmed by biopsy or imaging and followed over their complete GC course.

• The data indicated that in the 25% dose percentile, individuals who required no pulse therapy at onset reached a dose of 15 mg prednisolone or lower at day 40, of 7.5 mg prednisolone or lower on day 169 (after 24 weeks), and were off prednisolone on day 496 (70 weeks).

• As per the findings, they were below BSR-recommended doses between week 4 and week 12 and above these after week 14.

• The observations showed that 3.74 g was the cumulative prednisolone dose reached in this 25% quartile.

• Among 54 individuals, 24 (44%) relapsed, only 4 of whom had stopped GC clearly (17–58 weeks) earlier than the 25% dose quartile and one was distinctly (>10%) below the 25% GC percentile.

• The results showed that methotrexate treatment was not significantly correlated with fewer relapses.