Association of bushfire‐associated air pollution and giant cell arteritis in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding regional New South Wales

Background Giant cell arteritis (GCA) has possible links to environmental factors such as air pollution. Aims We examined whether bushfire‐related air pollution during the 2019–2020 Australian bushfires was associated with GCA incidence. Methods We retrospectively analysed 29 biopsy‐confirmed cases (2018–2021) and matched onset dates with air pollutant levels. A bidirectional time‐stratified case‐crossover design was performed using conditional logistic regression. Results Non‐significant associations were demonstrated between pollutant exposure and GCA, with inconsistent results across air quality stations. Conclusions No clear link was found. Further studies with larger samples and longer follow‐up are needed.