Disorders are rare

GCA and PMR are usually considered as auto-immune illnesses.They belong to a group of six to eight thousand Rare Diseases, also referred to as Orphan Diseases.

Each year, world wide, an estimated number of 4 million patients come to suffer from these rare diseases, of which appr. 15% from GCA. Both diseases are more common in women than in men by a ratio of 3:1, and more common in white than coloured patients. The majority of patients is born and/or live in regions with a colder climate. So, the diseases are rarer in warmer areas of the world.