Complications, Risk Factors, And Causes Of Temporal Arteritis

Ancestry

An individual's ancestry can cause them to be at an increased risk of developing temporal arteritis. Individuals of northern European descent are at a greater risk of developing this disease than those of African or other heritages. Over 0.2 percent of individuals in northern European countries who are over fifty years old are affected by temporal arteritis each year. Over .022 percent of individuals in the same age group are affected by this disease annually in the United Kingdom. More than .032 percent of individuals in Scandinavian countries who are over fifty years old are affected by temporal arteritis every year. In southern European countries, .012 percent of individuals past their fifth decade of life are affected annually by temporal arteritis. Individuals who are of Asian and Hispanic descent have a lower risk of developing this disease. Individuals who have a heritage from a geographic region characterized by lower life expectancy then others are at a decreased risk of developing temporal arteritis. Ancestry may also be influenced by genetic predispositions of individuals of certain heritages, but the disease may not develop without the addition of environmental triggers.

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