An interventional study of Blood tests to measure CRP in Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA), sponsored by University Hospital, Limoges. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-22.
Sponsored by University Hospital, Limoges · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic
We propose to analyze the kinetics of the main marker of inflammation in GCA in order to understand its links with initial clinical manifestations and the possible appearance of complications and/or relapses.
Early assessment of the rate of CRP normalization would enable us to adapt the therapeutic strategy in order to avoid complications and/or relapses.
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a chronic systemic vasculitis of the large vessels characterized by a significant inflammatory syndrome, correlated with disease activity and various inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP, which more effectively reflects disease activity.
Relapses remain frequent, with rates of up to 45.7%. Recommended treatments involve long-term corticosteroid therapy and/or sparing therapies, which are associated with adverse events.
Identifying relapsing patients is therefore crucial, in order to best adapt initial treatment and patient follow-up.
We therefore propose to study CRP kinetics at diagnosis and at initiation of corticosteroid therapy, to determine the link with disease progression.
147 studies on the registry are indexed under Giant Cell Arteritis; 49 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 64 across 65 interventional studies indexed under Giant Cell Arteritis.
Browse Giant Cell Arteritis studies →University Hospital, Limoges is the lead sponsor of 264 studies on the registry; 38 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
GFR and eGFR (kidney filtering)
GFR (glomerular filtration rate) is how much blood the kidneys filter each minute. It is usually estimated from a blood test — eGFR, by formulas such as CKD-EPI or MDRD — and some studies ask for it to be measured directly instead. Usually given in mL/min/1.73 m².
Check the method, the units and the minimum the study states. A value of 90 or above is in the normal-or-high range, but kidney damage can show in other tests too.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Corticosteroids (steroids)
Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.
Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Blood samples for CRP determination
Diagnostic Test: Blood tests to measure CRP
Blood tests to measure CRP levels
CRP testing
1. Immediately before starting corticosteroids 2. Every day immediately before taking the morning dose of corticosteroids, for 5 days, and up to 7 days if levels do not return to normal 3. Then once a week for up to 1 month after starting corticosteroids 4. Then monthly for 8 months during follow-up visits 5. Then every 2 months for up to 1 year
Time frame: 1 year
Determining Corticosteroid Dosages and Estimating Their Half-Lives
Corticosteroid Dosage: Take daily, just before your morning dose of corticosteroids
Time frame: 5 days
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: Undecided
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Start is estimated for Jun 2026; primary completion for Jun 2029, 36 months later.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jun 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
University Hospital, Limoges →