Abstract: Objective To summarize the characteristics of biopsy-positive giant cell arteritis patients and the relevance with positive biopsy results. Methods The data of the giant cell arteritis in-patients were retrospectively analyzed who underwent the temporal artery biopsy from January 1997 to December 2017. The clinical characteristics of the patients with a positive were compared with those with a negative biopsy result. Results Twenty-six of 46 biopsies were positive for giant cell artery and 19 negative. The biopsy-positive group has higher age and shorter course. Percentage of scalp tenderness、myalgia and non-specific manifestations are higher, while hearing loss is lower in positive group. The patients in positive group had less smoking history and tumor history, and lower lymphocytes and hemoglobin. Only lymphocyte count (odds ratio 0.205) was independent predictor of the biopsy results. Conclusions The group with positive temporal artery biopsy result has significantly different characteristics from negative group. The number of lymphocytes is an independent influencing factor to the pathologic result of temporal artery biopsy.

Key words: Giant cell arteritis, Temporal artery biopsy