Temporal arteritis in Puerto Rico Hispanics.

Medical statements from previous epidemiologic studies consider temporal arteritis as extremely rare or absent in Hispanic patients. A probable genetic protective condition was proposed as an explanation for this. We performed a descriptive observational, retrospective, comparable and not randomized study in the southern region of Puerto Rico (Ponce Area). The period for recollection of data was July/2002 to March/2004. We reviewed all the information of the clinical charts of patients diagnosed with temporal arteritis who were seen in the medical offices of one internist and two rheumatologists of the teaching staff of Damas Hospital. The subjects of our study consisted of 11 patients (8 female and 3 male), between the ages of 70 to 90, all of Hispanic origin, with a diagnosis of temporal arteritis. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe the data of the study. Headache was the most common symptom. Other symptoms included the presence of fatigue, malaise, anorexia, scalp tenderness, amaurosis fugax and decreased vision. Laboratory results showed the presence of a mild leukocytosis and anemia in most of the patients. Renal and liver functions were observed to be well-preserved, and serum electrolyte levels were within normal limits. The increase of the ESR and C Reactive Protein values and positive unilateral and bilateral biopsy studies were statistically significant. All of the above characterization of Hispanic population with temporal arteritis cited in our study correlates well with the classic description of the disease in previous epidemiological studies conducted on non-Hispanic subjects. Our study confirmed the presence of temporal arteritis in a Hispanic population. The disease was more prevalent in women than men, with a female to male ratio of 2:6, which is the lowest ratio found for this disease compared to previous epidemiological studies. In our study group, the disease was found in patients over 70 years of age, with a mean age of 75.7. Arterial hypertension was the most commonly associated condition in our patients, probably due to its high prevalence in our community. The clinical characteristics of our patients correlate closely with the previous data from other ethnic groups.