FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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GCA is one type of vasculitis, characterized by inflammation in the blood vessels. Learn more about GCA here

GCA only occurs in patients 50 years and older. New headaches are common and patients may have pain or swelling in the blood vessels around their ears. Other symptoms include face or jaw pain when chewing. Some have tenderness over the scalp, night sweats, weight loss, and/or polymyalgia rheumatica. Blood tests often show signs of inflammation with an elevated  erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR) rate and/or C reactive protein (CRP). Vision loss is a feared complication and may be irreversible.

The Fast Track Clinic is a service offered by the University of Washington for patients with a high likelihood of new onset GCA. Doctors can refer their patients by contacting us. Urgent evaluation includes vascular ultrasound and rheumatology evaluation. Some people may require a temporal artery biopsy as well. 

Please contact your primary care doctor for referral. If you have vision changes and are concerned about GCA, please go to the emergency room for urgent evaluation.

If you are a rheumatologist, please fill out this form and your patient will be contacted shortly between the hours of 8am and 5pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Vascular ultrasounds are primarily performed at the University of Washington in the vascular lab. Results will be communicated directly to you. 

If you are not a rheumatologist, please call the operator at 206-744-3000 and ask for the rheumatology fellow on call for the Fast Track Clinic. 

Please send them immediately to the emergency room for evaluation by ophthalmology . They may require IV steroids. If the patient is local, please ask them to go to Harborview ER due to availability of ophthalmology. 

A negative vascular ultrasound cannot completely rule out GCA. If a patient has classic signs/symptoms, they likely should receive a temporal artery biopsy. Steroids may reduce the changes seen on vascular ultrasound.