Objective: To identify the most important and relevant items to consider when developing criteria to measure response to treatment in giant cell arteritis (GCA).
Methods: As part of an ongoing project to develop response criteria for GCA, a 4-round web-based Delphi exercise was conducted. Participants included patients with GCA and health professionals with expertise in GCA. Participants rated the importance (1=lowest, 9=highest) of 51 items selected based on a systematic literature review, grouped into six domains, and could suggest additional items. Items scored 7-9 by at least 70% of health professionals and 70% of patients were considered critically important and to have reached consensus. In the last round of the Delphi, participants ranked the top 10 most relevant items. A task force (n = 32 members) meeting followed to review the Delphi results, discuss rankings, and finalize the selection of items.
Results: One hundred eighty-seven physicians and 85 patients, from 38 countries, participated in the Delphi exercise. Twenty-four (75%) task force members participated in the virtual meeting. Thirteen new items were proposed in round 1. Twenty-four items were rated as critically important. No items were excluded during any round, and consensus was not reached for 40 items. The top 3 highest rated items by both patients and physicians were headache (ranked highest by 52%), amaurosis fugax (highest=10%), and jaw claudication (highest=7%). Twelve items were selected for the next phase of the project.
Conclusion
Experts and patients identified 12 items considered important for measuring response to treatment in GCA.
Medha L Soowamber, Milena Bond, Catalina Sanchez-Alvarez, Carol A Langford, Sibel Zehra Aydin, Frank Buttgereit, Dario Camellino, Maria C Cid, Peter C Grayson, Bernhard Hellmich, Alison Hendry, Tanaz A Kermani, Nader A Khalidi, Sarah L Mackie, Alfred Mahr, Eric L Matteson, Mehrdad Maz, Peter A Merkel, Paul A Monach, Lorna Neill, Cristina Ponte, Carlo Salvarani, Wolfgang A Schmidt, Peter M Villiger, Kenneth J Warrington, Christian Dejaco, Sofia Ramiro, Zahi Touma
Disease Category: Rheumatology
Disease Name: Giant Cell Arteritis
Age Range: Unknown
Sex: Either
Nature of Intervention: Drug
- Clinical experts
- Consumers (patients)
- Recommendations made
- Delphi process